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tinued to be employed to work under the direction of and carry out duties not requiring
the skills of a trained nurse.
The psychiatric liaison schemes with St. Olave's Hospital and the geriatric liaison
schemes with the New Cross and St. Francis Hospitals continue providing a smoother
transfer for patients from hospital to community care.
During the year 4 students completed their district nurse training for the National
Certificate of District Nursing.
Many student nurses from the King's and Guy's group of hospitals accompanied
the district nurses on their visits.
The following table indicates the volume of work undertaken during 1971 by the
District Nursing Service.
New patients visited 3,075
Total number of visits 122,026
Nursing staff employed at 31.12.71 (f.t.e.) 61
Visits per nurse (f.t.e.) 2,000
In addition 5,156 visits were made to psychiatric patients including those to 148
new patients.
Health Visiting
The health visitor in the United Kingdom has been defined by the Council for
the Training of Health Visitors as a nurse with a post registration qualification who
provides a continuing service to families and individuals in the community. The health
visitor is a practitioner in her own right, detecting cases of need on her own initiative
as well as acting upon referrals.
The main aspects of her work are:—
(1) The prevention of mental, physical and emotional ill health and its consequences
in all age groups;
(2) The early detection of handicap and ill health and the surveyance of high
risk groups;
(3) Identification of need and mobilisation of the appropriate resources to
meet the need;
(4) Provision of care—this includes support during periods of stress and advice
and guidance in cares of illness as well as in the care and management of
children;
(5) Health education.
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