Health visiting; the spearhead of the social services.

Abstract

HE role of the health visitor in the welfare state has been the subject of much recent T discussion and innumerable articles and papers have been written on her function as outlined by the National Health Service Act. Indeed, one wonders if there is anything left to say in this connection as so much has been said already. There is, however, an undoubted need to study the subject in the light of the report on the recent Nuffield Surveyl.. This report has brought to light the immense diversion of case loads and work assigned to health visitors in different parts of the country. How much of the work on which she has built her reputation needs to be continued, how much of the work which has previously been allocated to her, which indeed should never have been hers, can be taken over by other workers, how, in fact, she can best use her training and experience for the benefit of the community as a whole, is a problem which is occupying the attention of all leaders of the profession. The health visitor’s work during the past years as the visitor to all homes where there were young children has established her in a unique position in contrast to other social workers who are concerned with special or problem cases. She is the visitor and adviser in the normal home. The need to continue routine visiting of healthy children has been questioned. It would seem, however, that some contact with mothers is essential if the knowledge we have gained through recent research is to be interpreted to them. The importance of the mother/child relationship, the need for maintaining stability in all the phases of family life, beginning with the early days of marriage and the expectant family, the pre-school family, the school age family, the adolescent family and, finally, the aging family, is recognized by all workers in the public health field. It is our experience that, with the greater awareness of the importance of the psychological aspect of child