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72
monthly intervals for the rest of the year. These occasions have proved to be a
very real help to health visitors who have presented cases and others who have
attended as observers.
It is perhaps too early to assess the effect this may have beyond emphasising
that the conferences are fulfilling the purpose for which they were started and to
state how fortunate we are to have the guidance and counsel of Dr. Sawle-Thomas
at a time when a great many people are pondering on the effect that new legislation
may have in this country.
This is also the first year in which the health visitor has been able to refer
young children directly to a psychiatrist specialising in child guidance. The
health visitor makes appointments for parents to attend with the child and she is
herself present throughout the interview. The psychiatrist (Dr. C. Phillips)
attends one session a week to see children of under two years of age who are
revealing early patterns of behaviour which cause disquiet or uneasiness for
their parents.
Children suffering from sleeplessness, feeding difficulties, retardment of
speech, over-activity and other disorders have been seen.
While it is common for mothers to be the sole parent present at the initial
interview it is not at all unusual for both parents to attend subsequently or for
fathers to offer to be present. Children, parents and health visitors have profited
from these interviews although the reaction to the technique used varies considerably.
Time cannot be allowed to be a pressing factor if the underlying motives
for behaviour are to come to the surface. It is for this reason that a small
number of interviews is arranged for each session.
Student Health Visitors
Eight students from Battersea Polytechnic, the Royal College of Nursing and
County Council sponsored students were accepted for practical training during the
year. Considerable care is taken in the preparation of their programme to ensure
that they have as wide experience as possible of all the services which may have
a bearing on their future work. Health visitors, education authorities, local
voluntary bodies and the chief officers of various statutory services have been
most co-operative in making this possible.
Student Nurses
Programmes of observation visits for student nurses from the Prince of
Wales's General Hospital and from the Middlesex Hospital, W.l. have been
arranged in the Area during the year. The visits follow lectures on Social Aspects
of Disease" and are intended to give practical and visual illustration of work done
in the public health field of the National Health Service.
The intention is to give each student an opportunity to observe a different