London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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West Ham 1957

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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Out of the 22 health visitors on the staff at the end of the year, 20 have been
trained under the Council's scheme.
Length of service of present health visiting staff:
1 has been in the service for 1 month (not a sponsored student)
7 have been in the service less than 2 years and are still under contract
2 " " " " " over 2 years
6 " " " " " " 3 years
1 has been in the service over 4 years
4 have been in the service over 5 years
1 has been in the service over 6 years
Refresher Courses
2 health visitors attended a general refresher course.
1 tuberculosis health visitor attended a refresher course.

Home Visits

1st VisitTotal Visits
To expectant mothers9441,980
To children under 1 year2,66814,389
" " 1-2 years-6,543
" " 2-5 years-14,757
Special visits-4,367

Health Visitors' Duties
Throughout the year there have been shortages of staff in the health visiting service,
but in spite of this the health visitors have continued their established basic duties and maintained
steady progress in the extended field of work outlined in earlier reports.
The case load of elderly people on each health visitor's district is gradually Increasing.
Visits are made as often as circumstances indicate.
A closer relationship has been established with colleagues in the "Welfare of the
Blind" Department. Health visitors have made visits jointly with welfare officers to the
homes of blind persons, particularly elderly blind persons, and have been able to ascertain
the need for social services and give help as required. Meetings have been held between the
Consultant Ophthalmologists at Whipps Cross Hospital and the various senior medical and
nursing officers, in order to explore the ways and means by which the health visitors might
do more effective work in the prevention of blindness.
Progress has been maintained in building up a good relationship with the general
practitioners. Health visitors are more frequently consulting the family doctors In their
areas, on problems relating to their patients and the doctors are more often making direct
contact with health visitors, asking for visits to be made to a particular family.
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