London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Tottenham 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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The actual number of visits made by the health visitors this year was as shown in the following table -
| Number of visits paid by Health Visitors working in the Area | 1963 | 1962 | 1961 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expectant Mothers | First | Visits | 1594 | 1617 | 1796 |
| Total | Visits | 2268 | 2471 | 3120 | |
| Children under 1 year of age | First | Visits | 5101 | 5399 | 4737 |
| Total | Visits | 9602 | 13134 | 12997 | |
| Children aged 1-2 years | Total | Visits | 7220 | 5707 | 6704 |
| Children aged 2-5 years | Total | Visits | 10841 | 8652 | 10524 |
| Other cases - Total Visits as Health Visitor | 2223 | 6459 | 6102 | ||
| - Total Visits as School Nurse - | 339 | 673 | 978 | ||
Student Health Visitors
The two sponsored student health visitors who completed their training in July
were successful in obtaining the health visitors certificate. As in previous years
students sponsored by other local authorities have received practical experience and
training.
Special Services Health Visitors
The intensive case work with problem families continued during the year along the
same lines as in previous years. Some families, because of the concentrated visiting
and support it has been possible to give over varying periods, were in a better position
to manage their own affairs and therefore were referred back to the district health
visitor. Several other families are growing toward stability and will, it is expected,
soon be able to manage without the special services. Others continue to require
constant attention and will do so for a very long time.
General mismanagement, too many children born too quickly, heavy debts, frequently
resulting in the threat of eviction, and the probability of the children requiring
residential care, continue to be the main problems.
Work with the mentally sick, especially those parents who refuse to accept
psychiatric treatment, are a particular source of anxiety, because of their inability
to co-operate and make use of available help.
One family, the father being an alcoholic, is constantly being turned out of
different lodgings because of his behaviour. This family move in and out of the
district, make a great deal of works and there seems very little hope of improvement.
For the first timef a family of West Indians was referred to one of the special services
health visitors. The father, who was in regular employment, deeply resented and
refused to pay rates. Consequently this resulted in the accumulation of arrears
The mother of a family of six children died suddenly at the latter part of the
year. Three school girls are under supervision of the probation officer because of
truancy, another child attends a residential school for maladjusted children, the fifth
child, because of post poliomyelitis paralysis, attends the school for physically
handicapped children, whilst the sixth child attends the local day nursery.