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Hospital Liaison
Over the past years links with hospitals serving the Merton area
have been made. This year has seen a continuing development with
health visitors attending the Paediatric Departments of the St. Helier
and Nelson Hospitals, the Infectious Diseases Department of St.
George's Hospital and the Ante-natal Departments of St. Helier and
the Nelson Hospitals. Here the health visitor can act as a liaison
between the hospital and community services, thus ensuring continuity
of care and advice.
One nursing officer regularly attends a meeting of nursing officers
in St. George's Hospital. This is invaluable in promoting good relationships
and ensuring an interchange of ideas between nurses working in
different parts of the service.
Training of Health Visitor Students
The emphasis placed on the care of patients in the community
has resulted in an even greater increase this year in the number of
training visits undertaken, and visits of observation made by students
of various disciplines. 1,131 teaching sessions were given by health
visitors—an increase of 261. Four health visitor students were sponsored
for training in 1972. Two are undertaking their training at Ewell
Technical College, one at Croydon Technical College and one at The
Polytechnic of the South Bank. If successful they will join the health
visiting staff in September, 1973. Eight health visitor students received
their practical training in the Borough during the year and two students
sponsored by Merton undertook their period of supervised
practice in the Borough.
Post Registration Training
3 health visitors attended post graduate refresher courses.
1 health visitor attended a Field Work Instructor's course.
1 health visitor attended Part 1 of a special course on health
education.
25 health visitors and clinic nurses attended a special two-day
course on Family Planning.
3 nurses attended a course for school nurses.
6 health visitors attended a special two-day course on health
education.
12 health visitors attended day courses on various subjects in
order to improve and maintain theoretical knowledge.
Geriatric Health Visiting
The specialist geriatric health visitor is an important member of
the geriatric team led by the Consultant Geriatrican. She plays an
important role in acting as a liaison between hospital, general practitioner
and local authority services. It has not been possible to recruit
a second health visitor for this highly specialised work, but a trained
nurse, highly experienced in the practical care of the elderly was appointed
in the autumn to act as an assistant to the geriatric health
visitor. This appointment has proved a very successful one.
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