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SECTION 24: HEALTH VISITING
Staffing - The joint establishment of 40 health visitors and school nurses (apportioned as
22 to the Health Committee and 18 to the Education Committee) has never yet been filled.
owing to a national shortage of trained Health Visitors.
All health visitors undertake duties in the School Health Service as well as in
Maternity and Child Welfare and general public health work. There is still a small number
of school nurses who are not trained health visitors. They work chiefly in the School Health
Service but at times undertake clinic duties at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
The Superintendent Nursing Officer left in July after 9 years service. The Deputy
Superintendent Nursing Officer was re-designated Superintendent Health Visitor and Deputy
Superintendent Nursing Officer and took charge of the service until the appointment of a new
Superintendent Nursing Officer on the 1st October.
At the end of the year the health visiting and school nursing staff was as follows:-
(a) Superintendent Health Visitor )
(b) 22 Health Visitors employed on joint health )
visiting and school nursing duties ) 28
(c) 5 School Nurses employed solely on school nursing )
(d) 2 part-time Public Health Nurses employed on school )
nursing duties (in special schools) - equivalent of 1.)
(e) 1 Health Visitor employed by South West Ham ) not included in the
Health Society. ) establishment of 40
(f) 4 Health Visitors employed on tuberculosis work ) Health Visitors and
School Nurses.
Three student health visitors completed their training under the Council's scheme and were
appointed to vacancies on the establishment. They are under contract to give the Council two
years service.
At the end of the year there were three students in training.
Seven health visitors resigned during the year, they had been in the department for
periods of service as follows:-
1 for 1 year; 3 over 2 years; 3 over 3 years.
Of the 7 health visitors who left during the year, 3 resigned on marriage, 3 took
health visitor appointments In other areas. The 1 health visitor who left after one year's
service did so for personal reasons, she was not a sponsored student of the Council.
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