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SECTION 24: HEALTH VISITING.
The joint establishment of Health Visitor/School Nurses is 40, apportioned as 22
to the Health Committee and l8 to the Education Committee. Appointments to vacancies are
made by the Committee controlling the vacant post, but all Health Visitor/School Nurses
are appointed to serve both Committees. In addition there are the Superintendent Nursing
Officer and her deputy, and 4 Tuberculosis Health Visitors. All Health Visitors now
undertake some school nursing duties. There are, however, still a small number of school
nurses (counting against the establishment) who are not trained health visitors, but who
will be replaced by health visitor/school nurses when they retire.
The health visiting and school nursing staff at the end of the year was as follows
(a) Superintendent Nursing Officer and Deputy Superintendent Nursing Officer.
(b) 27 Health Visitors employed on Joint Health Visiting/School Nursing duties.
(c) 9 School Nurses employed solely on School Nursing duties.
(d) 1 Health Visitor employed by the South West Ham Health Society.
(e) 4 Health Visitors employed on Tuberculosis work.
Twelve students completed their training under the Council's sponsored training
scheme during the year, 7 of whom filled vacancies which existed in the establishment at
the beginning of the year, the remaining 5 replacing health visitors who resigned during
the year to take up work overseas, to gain experience of work in a different type of area,
or for domestic reasons. (One of our more senior Health Visitors was appointed Boarding-Out
Officer in the West Ham Children's Department). At the end of the year there were 5 students
in training.
With the exception of 2 health visitors who have had considerable experience in other
areas, all the health visitors have been trained under the Council's scheme and accordingly
are under contract to remain in the Council's service for 2 years after qualification.
There are 18 health visitors who have been in the service for less than two years, while 1
has been with us five years, 3 four years, 1 three years, and 4 two years.
It Is greatly to the advantage of the service if we can retain senior health visitors
whose experience has enabled them to develop a mature outlook. The problem of how to achieve
this is claiming increasing attention now that the difficulties of recruitment have become
less acute.
The home visits paid by the health visitors during the year are set out below:-
First Visits Total Visits
To expectant mothers 1,436 2,465
To children under 1 year 2,812 l6,l86
To children 1-2 years - 6,786
To children 2-5 years - 15,587
Special Visits - 2,500
One health visitor and the Deputy Superintendent Nursing Officer attended Refresher
Courses. Two health visitors attended part-time courses in Parentcraft and obtained their
certificates, one having passed with distinction In Educational Psychology and Practical Teaching.
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