[Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset (England). County Council.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/88 (page 13)
    CHILD WELFARE CENTRES In 1948 there were 66 Child Welfare Centres in the county. A review of the distribution of the child population showed that additional centres were required and in 1952 the number had been increased to 95, and at the end of 1958 to 124, of which 19 are Health Visitor clinics with no doctor in attendance. The reason for this latter development is that since 1948 medical advice and immunisation are available free of direct cost to all who require them, but there are many rural areas where mothers welcome, and benefit by, the periodic meeting as a group with the nurse or health visitor, which affords a valuable opportunity for advice of a non-medical nature and for educational work. This discussion of their problems not only wdth-the nursing and health visiting staff, but with each other, is both useful and greatly appreciated. Of the clinics attended by doctors, 52 are staffed by general practitioners and 53 by Assistant County Medical Officers. Each clinic is organised by a voluntary Committee with the help of the nursing sister or health visitor of the area, and as in previous years I wish to record my own indebtedness, and that of the County Council, for the very ready help which is given voluntarily in this sphere,^ and which contributes so mater¬ ially to the usefulness and happy atmosphere of the clinics. It has been possible to arrange alternative and more satisfactory premises for a number of the clinics, but there still remain many which are held in premises which leave much to be desired, and the good work done in these reflects all the more credit on those concerned. The health visitors and nurses undertake much educational work either in the form of small group talks or as individual teaching, and in¬ creasing use has been made of film strips and of sound films as a basis for discussion'and these prove very popular with the mothers. The Mothers’ Clubs at Bridgwater and at Porlock have continued to function and are lively organisations keenly interested in all aspects of health, and their evening meetings are useful media for health propa¬ ganda and discussion. A recently formed club has been arranged at Sto- gumber and no doubt will be popular and useful. Total attendances during 1948 (July — December) 38,386 1952 73,147 1958 74,171