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
Islington 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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of the service is now integrated within the personal health section to the benefit of all concerned. The
home nurses are based at main maternal and child health centres, in six separate groups, each group with a
senior nurse as team leader. All messages and requests for nursing services are received centrally and transferred
at least three times daily to the team leaders concerned.
Two new group attachment schemes were initiated during the year, making a total of five such
attachments, all of which are working successfully.
Four pupil nurses from St. Matthew's Hospital completed successfully the course of training for
district nursing, and there was an intake of three district nurses taking the district nursing training, all of
whom gained the National Certificate. Three of the district nurses attended a practical work instructors
course, and others attended study days on various aspects of nursing care, including cancer and its treatment,
multiple sclerosis and community coronary care. A sisters' study day at University College Hospital was
attended by two members of the nursing staff and was much appreciated.
Ten patients with terminal carcinoma received extra nourishment from the Marie Curie Memorial
Foundation and eight received night nursing care, in addition to the home nursing care provided by the
Council. Thus, these patients were able to spend their last days at home with their families.
The service lost a valuable member of staff during the year when one of the nurses died after a short
illness. Her funeral was attended by most of her colleagues and some of the patients she had nursed.
STATISTICS
| Patients being nursed at (a) 1.1.71 | 819 | (709) |
| (b) 31.12.71 | 899 | (819) |
| Total nursed | 2,526 | (2,363) |
| Total visits | 111,693 | (101,714) |
| Visits to persons over 65 | 95,487 | (82,468) |
| Proportion of visits to persons aged over 65 | 85.4% | (83.8%) |
| Nursing treatments completed | 1,627 | (1,610) |
| Nursing treatments commenced | 1,707 | (1,724) |
LOAN OF EQUIPMENT
The scheme for the loan of equipment, free of charge to persons being nursed (irrespective of whether
by district nurse, relative or friend) in their own home continued during the year. The items loaned
included the fojlowing:
Equipment
(1970)
No. on loan
(31.12.71)
Air and sorbo rings 97 (110) 156
Bed cradles 79 (86) 106
Bed and back rests 105 (116) 140
Bed pans 80 (72) 122
Commodes 286 (323) 461
Hoists 13 (6) 18
Dunlopillo 8 (10) 23
Fracture boards 29 (27) 78
Hospital beds 10 (12) 13
Walking aids 114 (99) 130
Wheel chairs and other special chairs 92 (108) 169
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