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84
In 1956 the Health Visitors were invited to attend King
George Hospital on a Thursday afternoon to be present at the
Paediatric Clinic run by Dr. Anderson. The Health Visitors
much enjoy this contact, it enables them to keep up with modem
trends of treatment and much helpful information is exchanged
between the Public Health Department and the Hospital. This
year the Health Visitor was invited to be present at the ward
round before the Paediatric Clinic commences. Some illnesses
and childish difficulties can be accounted for if the family background
is known and it is here that the Health Visitor can be of
assistance to the Paediatrician.
A six-monthly visit to the Ilford Maternity Hospital at
Matron's invitation is now an established custom.
A further invitation from Goodmayes Hospital at the end of
1960 gave two Health Visitors the opportunity to take a course
of lectures. It is hoped that this course will enable the Health
Visitors to deal more adequately with mental health problems
found on their areas and so really giving "Psychiatric First
Aid" in the home. Other Health Visitors will be given an opportunity
to attend this course.
This report shows that much has been attempted and
achieved, much remains to be done, but until the shortage of
Health Visitors and better means of transport for our present
staff can be overcome, the ideal appears to be far distant."
At the end of the year there were 17 full-time and 4 part-time
qualified Health Visitors and School Nurses, in addition to the Superintendent
Health Visitor, and 5 Clinic Nurses.
The following is a summary of the home visits made by the Health
Visitors and Clinic Nurses during 1960 as far as Part III Services are
concerned: —
First visits to newly-bom infants 2,660
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 6,094
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age
and under 5 13,845
Visits to expectant mothers 1,184
Home visits for other reasons (inc. 1,073 visits
to old folk) 3,581
Total visits paid 27,364