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Health Visitors Duties
Ten years have elapsed since the National Health Service Act came into operation.
In 1948 there were 5 health visitors in the Borough to carry out maternity and child
welfare work* Public health nurses were engaged to help health visitors in some of their
duties *
The nursing duties in the School Health Service were undertaken by the school nurses
and included visiting the homes of school children, when required.
A scheme for sponsoring the training of student health visitors was commenced and
subsequent Annual Reports have indicated a fairly steady increase in the number of trained
health visitors, but there have always been vacancies on the establishment.
In 1948 health visitors were concerned almost entirely with expectant and nursing
mothers and children under 5 years. The introduction of the National Health Service widened
the field of work of the health visitor to include the care of the family as a whole. The
reports since 1948 have outlined the gradual development of the work in the extended field
and the present day health visitor is health teacher and social adviser to the whole family.
During 1958, in spite of the shortage of staff which has existed throughout the
year, health visitors have maintained their basic duties in home visiting, schools and
clinics, and have made every endeavour to keep abreast of their new responsibilities*
Geriatric, diabetic and paediatric liaison health visitor schemes described in
earlier reports have continued on a full scale and serve a very useful purpose.
Progress has been made in establishing closer relationships between health visitors
and general practitioners. Family doctors are more frequently taking the initiative in
making direct contact with health visitors.
Close co-operation has been maintained with the psychiatric social worker and mental
health officers, with frequent consultations and discussions on families. The health visitor
also attends the Mental Health After-Care Case Conferences when a family from her own area is
to be discussed with the hospital psychiatrist,
The number of elderly people needing social help and advice from the health visitor
continues to increase; the health visitor visits them as often as circumstances indicate.
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