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Two senior health visitors attended a course on ' An Introduction to
Management.' This course of five days was organised by the London
Boroughs Training Committee. Five health visitors attended postcertificate
refresher courses and a number of other health visitors
attended Study Days throughout the year. Ten staff were given inservice
training on screening infants for possible deafness. This
screening is undertaken by health visitors on all infants at the age of
seven months.
Geriatric Health Visiting
The number of elderly persons within the Borough continues
to rise and visits paid to them by health visitors this year almost
doubled. The health visitor attached to Dr. Millard, Consultant
Geriatrician to the local authority, has now undertaken full-time duties
as a specialist geriatric health visitor. She acts as a valuable link
between the hospital, the general practitioner and the local staff (district
nurses, health visitors and social workers). Because of the increasing
volume of this work, it is proving impossible for one person adequately
to cover the whole Borough, and it is hoped that it will be possible for
the service to be developed.
Health Education
This is a very important function of every health visitor, and in
every visit she pays to a home, and in every consultation made in a
clinic, surgery or school, some aspect of health education is covered
in an informal manner. The attendances at the day-time parentcraft
classes in which psychoprophylaxis teaching is also given, remain high.
To meet increased demand, extra sessions have been held—60 in
1969, 100 in 1970. The evening parentcraft classes which were increased
last year, have been retained and continue to prove very
popular.
The health education programme in schools has continued and
developed with health visitors covering a wide range of health topics.
These continue to be very popular and extremely valuable in allaying
fears and misconceptions in the young.
Summary of Work of Health Visitors