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106
Home Nursing
Once again the current year showed an increase in visits made
by the District Nurses and a rise in the number of new cases; visits
advanced by 14,353 to a total of 217,395 and new cases by 177 to
4,147. Referrals of new cases by general practitioners rose by
392 while those from all other sources fell by 215. Most unexpectedly, referrals from hospitals fell by 45 despite the present
policy of encouraging early discharge.
Increased visiting resulted mainly from the larger number
of new cases but some persons were visited three or four times
daily, others were heavy patients requiring the attention of two
nurses and there were those who needed greater supervision. Five
patients on renal dialysis are visited by the District Nursing staff
in a supportive role.
Four more general practitioner attachment schemes were started
during 1969 and there are now 33 general practitioners and 13 of
the District Nursing staff involved. As a result of these schemes the
attached nurses discover new interests and are able to work as
colleagues and members of the group team, all of whom derive some
benefit from this closer association. Of the 2,977 new cases referred
by general practitioners, some 1,672 (58%) were from those
involved in the "attachment" schemes compared with 1,091 (46%)
in 1968.
Sources from which New Cases were Referred
General Practitioners 2,977
Hospitals 863
Clinics Chest, Ante Natal and Diabetic 23
Geriatric Visitors 91
District Nursing Service 193
4,147
Classification of New Cases No. Cases %
Medical 3,445 83.1
Surgical 548 13.2
Maternal Complications 109 2.6
Early Maternity Discharges 8 0.2
Tuberculosis 16 0.4
Mental Ill-health 21 0.5
Total 4,147 100.0
Patients and Visits
Total number of Patients 5,392
Total number of Visits 217,395
Average number of Visits to each Patient 40