§ Mr. KINGasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will state the number of health visitors in the following Metropolitan boroughs, respectively: Camberwell, Islington, Southwark, Bermondsey, Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, and Poplar; how many health visitors are required in each of these boroughs to meet the needs of the infant population according to the recognised demand of the Board; and, in cases where the numbers are inadequate, what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. LONGThe number of health visitors in the boroughs referred to, according to the information in my possession, is given in the following table:
Metropolitan Borough. Number of Births in 1915. No of Health Visitors appointed by the Borough Council. Number of Health Visitors appointed by Voluntary Agencies. Bermondsey … 3,547 2 2 paid and some unpaid visitors. Bethnal Green … 3,514 2 None. Camberwell … 6,149 None. One. Islington … 7,544 None. 3 paid visitors who give their whole time, and one who gives half time. Poplar … 4,742 2 (one vacancy) (14 paid visitors who give their whole time, one who gives part time, and some unpaid visitors. Shoreditch … 3,114 2 3 paid visitors who give their whole time, and one who gives four days a week. Southwark … 5,239 1 3 paid and some unpaid visitors. In a memorandum which I have issued it is stated that roughly one health visitor is required for each 500 births; the proportion varies with the social and other conditions of the area.
In cases in which the health visiting staff is considered insufficient for the needs of 2952W the district, my Department urge the local authority to appoint more health visitors. They are still in correspondence with some of the borough councils in the above list on this subject. Nearly all the Metropolitan boroughs have been visited by my inspectors, and action urged.