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In June, 1950, a scheme was introduced for maintaining closer liaison between the
health visiting service and the hospitals to which West Ham children are admitted. This
took the form of regular visits of two of the Health Visitors, one from the north of the
Borough and one from the south, to certain of the Paediatrician's ward rounds at Whipps
Cross and Plaistow Hospitals. They were able to convey to the paediatrician at first
hand, in a way which could never have been done by the cold formality of a letter, a
great deal of information regarding the children's home circumstances which was of great
value as a guide to treatment. They also visited after the children had returned home,
to help the parents in carrying out the Paediatrician's instructions for after-care,
eventually handing the case over, with full information, to their colleague who was
normally responsible for the particular area in which the child resided. The scheme was
extended to cover Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End during 1952, and an endeavour
is being made to foster its extension to hospitals situated outside the Borough which
admit sufficient numbers of West Ham children. It is also hoped to extend a similar
service to the Geriatric Unit at Langthorne Hospital. An unexpected and pleasing feature
of the scheme was the eager way in which the parents received the Health Visitors while
their children were still in hospital; they clearly welcomed the news of their children's
progress while in return they gladly gave the information sought by the Paediatrician.
Liaison with the Children's Department has already been described, and in order to
fulfil the need for close co-operation and understanding between the Health Visitors and
the staff of the Child Guidance Clinic joint meetings and case conferences are held from
time to time. There is also close co-operation between the Health Visitors and the
Psychiatric Social Worker employed in the Mental Health Section of the Department. The
Tuberculosis Health Visitors work in very close co-operation with the Chest Physicians
and the Almoner.
SECTION 25: HOME NURSING.
Municipal Home Nursing Staff on 31st December, 1952.
1 S.C.M. employed full-time
10 S.R.N. ) employed part-time
6 S.E.A.N. ) average 24 hours weekly

This service operates under three separate arrangements in different parts of the
Borough. To the north of the District Railway line (covering nearly half the Borough),
a service is provided by the Essex County Council, under Section 63 of the National
Health Service Act, from their Lady Rayleigh Training Home. In the Silvertowh area south
of the docks, the Silvertown and North Woolwich District Nursing Association works on an
agency basis for all three local authorities who divide that narrow strip of territory
between them. The central zone, between docks and District Railway line, is covered by
home nurses in direct employ of Corporation.
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