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Committee and all grades of nursing staff went to a variety of sessional
lectures and conferences to enable them to keep up to date with changing
patterns of care and treatment of the physically and mentally sick.
Playgroups and Child Minders
Children who belong to a Play Group learn social intergration and their mental,
emotional and physical growth is encouraged. For this reason Play Groups
have become important in the care of the pre-school child and in the
Borough fourteen such Groups were running during the year. Although the
actual work in each Group is done by the mothers themselves, the Borough
supports the Play Group movement financially and Health Visitors interest
themselves in the care of the children who attend. A Senior Nursing Officer
also visited the Groups during the year to ensure all was running smoothly
and was available for consultation and advice over the setting-up of new
Groups. In addition, the nursing department was responsible for the,
registration of Child Minders until October 1st when this function was
transferred to the Social Services Department.
Day Nurseries
The occupancy at the seven Day Nurseries was maintained at a high level
during the year, but as applications were received from a large number of
top priority cases, the waiting list was not reduced. Work commenced on a
new Day Nursery at Westway which is due to be completed early next year but
benefit will not be felt immediately this Nursery is opened because some
children at present attending Uxbridge Road Day Nursery will be transferred
to the new building, thus enabling Uxbridge Road Nursery to be rebuilt.
There have been the usual number of staff changes, which is inherent in
a staff where most girls working in the Nurseries are between 18 and 22
years of age. Many of our own student nursery nurses remain in the service
for a year following completion of their training, which greatly increases
staff stability. All of those who sat the Examination of the Nursery Nurses
Board in July were successful. Many students from a wide range of allied
disciplines have visited the Nursery premises during the year and have much
appreciated the efforts which staff have made to explain their work and the
happy home atmosphere they create in the Day Nurseries.
Domiciliary Midwifery
Following the national trend, the number of women confined in their own
homes is declining, as is the birth rate, but our Midwives have been
increasingly involved with women who deliver in maternity units but remain
under the care of the Midwife and General Practitioner. One such new scheme
was initiated last year and came into operation early in 1971 at Hammersmith
Hospital. After six months only one practice was making use of this arrangement
because most General Practitioners interested in this aspect of work
were involved in the Queen Charlotte's scheme. As a result only ten mothers
were delivered in Hammersmith Hospital General Practitioner Unit during the
year.
Radio communication has been invaluable in maintaining contact with each
member of the Service, particularly at night when the minimum staff cover
is available.Maternity Liaison Committees have met at regular intervals to
discuss matters of common interest to both the hospital and community maternity
services.
Home Nursing
The number of patients requiring total nursing care is still on the increase
and the district trained staff really appreciate the employment of ancillary
staff who assist them in the total care of these patients.
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