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40
STAFF MEDICAL SERVICE
All new entrant officers and manual workers to the Council's service
complete a medical questionnaire concerning their medical history in order
that their fitness for employment may be assessed. When replies to the
questions suggest that further investigation is necessary, a medical examination
is carried out.
New entrant staff whose duties bring them into close contact with
children are required to have a chest X-ray examination in addition, and those
who will be resident in Children's Department and certain Welfare Department
establishments are medically examined unless they have been employed with
another local authority immediately prior to taking up an appointment with
this borough.
In addition, staff whose sick pay allowances are nearing exhaustion are
medically examined and a report submitted to the Administration Committee for
consideration of an extension of sick pay allowances.
A total of 1,036 medical questionnaires were received and 231 medical
examinations carried out during the year.
TRAINING
Apart from the statutory requirement to provide training for pupil
midwives, the Council has arrangements for training other nursing staff for
specific duties.
Nursery Nurses
There is an annual intake of young girls who have just left school for a
two-year course of practical and theoretical training in the care of children
from birth to five years of age, leading to the examination for the Certificate
of the National Nursery Examination Board.
Practical training is given to these nursery students at six of the
Council's day nurseries which have been approved by the Department of Health
and Social Security for this purpose, whilst formal theoretical study is
undertaken at the North London College for Further Education.
21 students received training during the year and 10 second year students
taking the examination in 1969 were successful in obtaining the certificate.
District Nurses
One state registered nurse and one state enrolled nurse successfully completed
the course of district nurse training for the appropriate certificates
of the Queen's Institute of District Nursing. S.R.N, students participated
in Department of Health and Social Security approved courses arranged by the
London Borough of Newham.
Health Visitors
13 qualified nurses who have had midwifery or obstetric training and who
were accepted by Colleges of Further Education to undertake a course in health
visitor training have been sponsored by the Council for the duration of the
course being held in the Academic Year 1969/70. The course, leading to the
Health Visitor Certificate involves one year's full-time 6tudy, including both
theoretical and practical training and is based on the syllabus of the Council
for the Training of Health Visitors. During the Academic Year 1968/69 six
students were sponsored, all of whom were successful at the final examination.