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93
Home Nursing
This service provided within the area of the new Borough
was shared between three voluntary organisations undertaking the
work as agents of the former local health authority. A high
standard of service was maintained but inevitably, with three
separate organisations operating within the Borough, confusion
could arise and although no patient ever suffered, there was, perhaps,
a lack of uniformity of standards. The new Borough decided,
therefore, to accept direct responsibility for home nursing and the
staff were invited to transfer.
This unification has been a great success and has benefited
not only the patients but, I believe, the staff also. General practitioners
have established close working links with the Supervisor and
Area Superintendents and a high standard of professional work
is being provided. The new arrangements have also tended to
identify the nursing sisters more closely with the other branches of
the department and a previous feeling of isolation has been
eliminated. There have also been benefits to other officers in the
department and mutual consultation has been much closer and more
personal than ever before.
Each of the 24 districts into which the Borough has been
divided carries an average load of 40 cases. The rate of visiting
is high and each full time District Nursing Sister maintains a
monthly mean of approximately 300-350 visits. The general work
performed on the district during the year has not changed a great
deal and although the number of new patients has fallen slightly,
actual visits have increased. In the main, this is due to the higher
proportion of visits made not only to the 'over 65's' (82% of the
total) in connection with general care and rehabilitation but also to
cases of terminal carcinoma, many of whom receive four visits
daily. Many of the latter cases also have the benefit of the Marie
Curie Night Nursing Service.
Clearly the District Nursing Service could be used a great deal
more by the Hospital Service. In the latter, there is a lack of
knowledge of the potential of the District Nursing Service and steps
are being taken to bring to the notice of hospital consultants and
medical workers the purposes of the home nursing service. Possibilities
of earlier discharge of patients from hospital, particularly
surgical patients, should be examined and it would seem to be
useful for the District Nursing Service to be invited into the hospital
to discuss with the hospital staffs the nursing problems which may
have to be faced when the patient is discharged.