London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bexley 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]
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NURSING AIDS
Various appliances to assist the sick or the handicapped can be borrowed either from the
department or through the British Red Cross Society local branches. Aids are only issued on the
instructions of a district nurse or medical practitioner.
The types of appliance issued include walking aids, commodes, wheeled-chairs, bed-pans, bedrests,
beds, bedding, etc. The department also issues on loan major items such as bed-hoists,
ripple-beds, etc. which are expensive and which require regular servicing to maintain safety or
efficiency.
The numbers and types of appliances issued are shown below : —
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL ISSUED BV HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENT Major items | 301 | 300 | 402 | 553 | 590 |
| Major items (included in above total) | |||||
| Beds | 15 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 19 |
| Hoists | 8 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 |
| Ripple Beds | - | 11 | 10 | 24 | 21 |
| Wheel-chairs | - | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 |
| TOTAL ISSUED BY BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY | 424 | 441 | 435 | 544 | 932 |
DOMESTIC HELP
Approximately 300 Home Helps are employed by the Department, all on a part-time basis.
Home Helps are available for assistance in the home where on account of age, illness, infirmity,
or some similar reason there is no suitable person in the home to care for the patient or family.
The Home Helps generally attend maternity cases for two weeks following the day of confinment.
It should be noted that a Home Help is not a nurse and she must not undertake nursing duties.
The majority of the clients are persons over 65 years of age and once on the books in most
cases they remain there as they tend to become more and more dependent on the service.
The following table shows the number of cases over 65 and under 65 dealt with each year,
together with the principal complaints affecting the under 65 age group
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