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41
Observation Register
Registration and follow-up of children at risk continued. Late in the year, the Medical Officer
of Health, having regard to the opinions of eminent paediatricians, reduced the list of factors
appearing to constitute a risk to the infant. This will result in a smaller number of children being
placed on the register and more effective follow-up work will be possible in the clinics. At the
same time, the policy is that all children attending the clinics shall be screened so that no possible
handicaps are missed.
It is too early yet to see a direct decline in the number of children on the register, which still
stands at some 1,200. The Medical Officer of Health, however, expects to be able in his next
Annual Report to demonstrate an appreciable difference as a result of the new approach.
HOME NURSING
The district nursing service continues to bring the skills of the trained nurse to the homes of
the sick, disabled and elderly in the community. Patients are referred to the service by general
practitioners, hospitals and other local authority departments. In all cases the district nursing
sisters work in close co-operation with the general practitioners in the area, carrying out treatments
prescribed by them. Treatment consists of medical care, rehabilitation, injections, surgical
dressings and other procedures. A large proportion of the visits are to patients over 65 years.
The state registered nurses are assisted in the more routine care of patients by state enrolled
nurses, and a small number of bath attendants are employed to help the trained staff with bathing
the elderly frail at home.
Organisation
Requests for the service are made to Westminster City Hall, Nursing Office, and transferred to
the appropriate district nursing centre. The northern half of the city is covered by nurses working
from 117, Sutherland Avenue, W.9, and the southern half from 36, Great Smith Street, S.W.1.
The hours of work are from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily, but two nurses are available until 9.30 p.m.
for necessary evening visits.
A clinic is held at 117, Sutherland Avenue from 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday for
ambulant or working patients to attend for injections.
Accommodation
This is available in the Nurses' Home at 117, Sutherland Avenue, where re-decorating and
re-furnishing were completed in 1967, and at 90, Sutherland Avenue.
Training
During the year seven state registered nurses completed their district nurse training for the
Queen's and National Certificate. Six state enrolled nurses completed an In-service Course of
Training for district nursing under the auspices of the Queen's Institute of District Nursing. In
addition, four students from the Hammersmith Hospital Integrated Course undertook five weeks'
district nursing as the first part of their training, to be completed in 1969.
Observation Visits
During the year, student nurses from St. Mary's Hospital, Westminster Hospital, The Middlesex
Hospital and the Hospital of St. John and St. Elizabeth spent a day with a district nursing sister
to get an impression of the work.
Medical students from The Middlesex Hospital, and students from the National Old People's
Welfare Association Course also spent a day observing the work of the district nurses.
Paediatric Home Care Unit
A district nursing sister in the Paddington area is seconded full-time to the St. Mary's Hospital
Home Care Team, visiting sick children in their own homes.
Royal Household
A district nursing sister, resident in Buckingham Palace Mews, provides nursing care for
members of the Royal household. The cost to the Council is re-imbursed.
City of Westminster District Nursing Association
This Association provides amenities for patients and staff, and administers various charities in
the area. The Marie Curie Memorial Foundation Fund is used for grants and extra day and night
nursing care for special cases.