[Report 1972] / Medical Officer of Health, Dudley County Borough.

  • Dudley (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1972
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1972] / Medical Officer of Health, Dudley County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    l\SURSI!MG SERVICES 1972 has been an active year in the Nursing Services of the Local Authority as well as in the profession nationally. In April, two Nursing Officers for the Health Visiting Service and two for the Home Nursing Service were appointed, followed in October by two for the Midwifery Service. These appointments completed the Mayston Nursing Management structure com- menced the previous year. All these members of staff attended a course for middle managers employed in the Local Authority Nursing Services held under the auspices of the Local Government Training Board at Wolverhampton Polytechnic. One Nursing Officer for each discipline was allocated to the northern and southern area of the Borough. It would have been ideal if the Nursing Officers in each area could have had office accommodation in close proximity to each other to facilitate liaison between them, but unfortunately this was not possible and the problem will not be resolved until they can be based in health centres planned for Brierley Hill and central Dudley. It was a matter of concern that recruitment to the Midwifery and Health Visiting services proved difficult. It is hoped that when the Part !l Midwifery Training School at Wordsley Hospital is fully operative and the proposed Health Visitors training course at Bilston College of Further Education commences in 1973 recruit- ment will improve. A revised recommendation on staffing establishments con- tained in Circular 13/72 issued by the Department of Health and Social Security gave some indication of the growing importance attached to care in the community. The standards recommended were approved locally and the establishment of nursing staff considerably increased. During the year relationships between nursing staff and General Practitioners were strengthened. This resulted in an improved service to the public and an increase in work in all sections of the nursing service. In September a study course was held at the Medical Services Centre, Corbett Hospital. It was pleasing to see that in addition to the nursing staff of the Local Authority a large number of hospital nurses also attended. In November a two-day Family Planning Appreciation Course was held also at the Medical Services Centre. Nurses from neighbouring Authorities and staff from the Social Services Department joined Health Department staff.