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SECTION 24: HEALTH VISITING
Staffing. The joint establishment of 40 health visitor/school nurses is apportioned
22 to the Health Committee, l8 to the Education Committee, and is in addition to the 4
tuberculosis health visitors. Vacancies in establishment have existed throughout the year.
All health visitors undertake duties in the School Health Service as well as in Maternity and
Child Welfare, and general Public Health work. There are still 5 school nurses who are not
trained health visitors. They work chiefly in the School Health Service, but at times undertake
certain clinic duties in Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
At the end of the year the health visiting and school nursing staff was as follows:-
1 Superintendent Health Visitor
21 Health Visitors
1 Health Visitor part-time
5 School Nurses 28½
3 Public Health Nurses working part-time (equivalent )
to 2 full-time staff)
1 Health Visitor employed by South West Ham Health ) not included in the
Society establishment of 40
3 Health Visitors employed on Tuberculosis work Health Visitor/School
Nurses.
Three student health visitors completed their training during the year, and were
appointed to vacancies on the establishment.
At the end of the year there were 8 student health visitors in training.
Six health visitors resigned during the year; one had worked only as a tuberculosis
health visitor, and all had been in West Ham over 3 years; 4 for 5 years. They left mainly
for domestic reasons.
Of the 22 health visitors on the staff at the end of the year, l8 have been trained
under the Council's Sponsored Scheme, while 4 were already trained when appointed. Of the
l8, 5 have given less than 2 years service and are still under contract, while the remaining
13 have been in the service for periods varying from 2 to 7 years.
Refresher Courses
One health visitor and two school nurses attended post-graduate courses during the
year. One health visitor attended a special course on "Mental Development of Young Children".
The training in screening tests for hearing in infants and young children, which commenced
in 1957, was continued in 1958 and in May and November Professor and Mrs.Ewing visited the
Borough for this purpose. Each health visitor not already trained attended four teaching
sessions. Subsequently, after a period during which she gained as much experience as
possible, she was examined, and if found satisfactory, was given a certificate of proficiency.
6l