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A senior overseas Public Health Nurse attending a course at the Royal College of
Nursing also visited the Health Department to study the Borough's Nursing Service including
the Health Visiting Service.
In-Service Training and Health Visitor Participation in Departmental Group Activities
Associated with Planning
As a service develops a danger to be foreseen and prevented is isolation of the
field worker from the administrator, with consequent repercussion on the affectiveness of
the service and its humanitarian approach.
The Senior Medical Officer in her introduction has mentioned that one time saving
method which she has developed-the section meeting-has brought the 'team' approach
to planning. In a like manner, communication between the health visitor and her senior
medical, nursing and administrative officers is made realistic and practical by her
participation, where appropriate, in group activities associated with review and planning
of the health services.
Such participation also acts as in-service training and as a stimulus for improved
field work. Examples of this team work are staff general meetings, consultative committee
meetings and the research being carried out by the department into the problem of the "hard
core infested family".
The Health Visitor Consultative Committee met on five occasions. The matters
discussed ranged over Health Visitor duties in relation to the health of the community.
On several occasions as a result of discussion, a useful change in procedure or improvement
in communication ensued.
In January a joint meeting of Medical Officers and representatives of Health
Visitors was arranged for the purpose of discussing vaccination and immunisation in
relation to the Child Health Services.
Five general meetings were held and were planned along the lines as formerly,
i.e. first a period of time for discussion on topics of interest, and then a talk by an
invited speaker. Subjects discussed included the report on "The Welfare of Children in
Hospital". Also the Medical Officer of Health gave an account of the Borough's plans for
developing the services for the mentally handicapped, especially the subnormal child. Time
was also given to reports by health visitors who had been on Post Certificate Courses or
had other interesting or new experiences.
A programme of films was shown so that they could be evaluated in relation to their
suitability for use in group health education activities.
Guest speakers included Dr. Lawless, the Chest Physician for West Ham; Dr. J. De
Largy, Physician Superintendent, Langthorne Hospital; and Mr. Merritt, Housing Officer
for West Ham, who entitled his talk "Housing as a Solution to Family Problems". This
subject stimulated a great deal of discussion.
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