View report page

38
HEALTH VISITING
At the end of 1966 the health visiting staff consisted of
the superintendent health visitor, 19 full time health visitors,
1 tuberculosis health visitor, 1 geriatric health visitor attached
to Kingston Hospital, 5 part time health visitors and 7 part time
clinic nurses. The services of the geriatric health visitor are
shared with the Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the Surrey County
Council, who contribute 30% and 17½% of her salary respectively.
A Group Adviser was appointed in November to commence
duties on 2nd January 1967. This is a new post to assist in the
training of students and in the prevention of break-up of families;
in addition, to deputise for the superintendent health visitor and
to maintain a oase load of about 100 families.
Each health visitor is responsible for visiting duties
within a prescribed geographical area, and has her base at one of
the clinic premises in the borough. Most of her work is undertaken
in the home, where she can discuss personal problems with the individual
concerned in the latter's own environment. This facilitates her
assessment of the health potential of both the individual and the
family group. Her work lies mainly in the field of maternity and
child welfare, but 20% of her time is devoted to the school health
service, while her duties in connection with the needs of the handicapped
and the elderly are continuing to increase. Total case loads
vary from 349 to 637 families for each health visitor; those who are
field work instructors are limited to 300, while two others have low
case loads because they have to deal with a very high proportion of
problem families who require much support. In addition, each health
visitor is responsible for health inspections and health education in
a group of schools, maintaining close contact with teaching staff and
acting as a link between home and school.
Not all the health visitor's time is devoted to visiting of
course, as she is required to attend the following clinics at her centre,
and in some instances at out-stationed halls:
1. Ante-natal
2. Education in childbirth
3. Mothercraft
4. Parentcraft
5. Infant welfare
6. Toddlers
7. Audiology
8. Minor ailments
In addition the health visitor helps to organise mothers'
clubs, and from time to time is called upon to give talks to various
voluntary bodies.