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86
HEALTH VISITING SERVICE
(Section 24)
The Health Visitor is the all-purpose visitor to the home. She visits
the expectant mother, the young baby, the toddler, school children, young
people and the aged of both sexes.
The principle of one visitor to the home is an economy and is much more
acceptable to the family than a number of visitors for different purposes.
Hospital almoners, family doctors and voluntary agencies concerned with the
health and welfare of individuals seek the assistance of the health visitor as
a member of the team which provides co-ordination of information and help to
those in need.
The health visitor also gives advice at Infant, Toddler, Ante-natal,
Mothercraft and other clinics associated with the work of the health centres.
The continuity of advice given in home-visiting and clinics is very valuable
and is a means of providing friendly support and care for the mothers,
children and others in this Area.
The range of the work of the health visitor/school nurse has assisted in
the exposure of the special needs of certain groups, e.g. school leavers, the
aged and problem families. The visiting of the two latter groups has taken
up more of the health visitor's time than formerly.

Health Education
It is with the awareness of the changing needs connected with the health
and future well-being of the population that in 1954 the health visitor gave
more time than in previous years to the teaching of Parentcraft and Health
Education to school girls and some boys in the fourteen plus age group.
This instruction was given so as to prepare the next generation for their
approaching parenthood and to avoid, if possible, the ignorance which leads to
so many problems.