London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ilford 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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The following is a summary of teh home visits made by the health visitors and clinic nusrses during 1964 as far as the Part III Services are concerned:-
| No. of first Visits in 1964 | Total Visits in 1964 | |
|---|---|---|
| Children under 5 years of age:— | ||
| Born in 1959 | 1,673 ) | 31,492 |
| Born in 1960 | 1,928 ) | |
| Born in 1961 | 1,904 ) | |
| Born in 1962 | 2,422 ) | |
| Born in 1963 | 2,948 ) | |
| Born in 1964 | 3,015 ) | |
| Persons aged 65 years or over | 1,289 | 4,028 |
| Other persons (expectant mothers etc.) | 1,402 | 2,714 |
| Totals | 16,581 | 38,234 |
In addition there were 9,127 visits paid where no reply was received.
Miss J. M. Oliver, Superintendent Health Visitor, reports:—
"Life is so full of everyday duties for Health Visitors that at
the end of a year it is sometimes hard to assess those things which
we have achieved.
Following a staff meeting of Doctors and Health Visitors the
oriticism was made that we were turning our clinics into shops for
selling foods and medicaments; also it was agreed that weighing
babies was over-done. Every Health Visitor and Doctor received a
list of the present medicaments and food sold. Each member of the staff
then struck off what they felt could well be done without, bearing
in mind that the mothers would suffer no real hardship.
Finally a small committee met and decided after studying the
lists what should be sold.
Although at first a few mothers were not too happy, the new
food list is now accepted.
The weighing of babies is not so easy to remedy. Working, as
the Health Visitors do in church halls, scales cannot be put away in
another room. Numbers of mothers attending clinics are still high
and whilst the Health Visitors are busy, the mother has placed her
baby on the scales.