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view to formulation of proposals which would enable such arrangement to be brought into
operation on 1st April, 1969, In the event, arrangements were made for the Nursing Staff of the
East London Nursing Society to come under the direct control of the Council in 1969, following
amending proposals made to the Department of Health and Social Security under Section 25 of
the National Health Service Act 1946
f
Statistics relating to the home nursing service are on page 101.
LAUNDRY SERVICE
Soiled personal clothing, bed linen, etc is collected at least twice weekly from the
homes of persons who are incontinent, and cleansed and laundered in the laundry at Branch Road
cleansing station. Increased demands led to an expansion of the service necessitating the
purchase of an additional hydro-extractor (Statistics on page 101>
INCONTINENCE PADS
Special commercially prepared disposable pads and/or knickers are supplied free in suitable
cases for use by incontinent and chronically ill aged persons Over 25,000 pads plus knickers
and linings were purchased during the year and issued to 128 persons, almost doubling the
service given last year
LOAN OF NURSING EQUIPMENT
Articles of nursing and sick room equipment are loaned at the request of the general
practitioner, district nurse or hospital medico-social worker, etc free of charge for an
indefinite period to persons being nursed in their own homes The Council purchased many items
of additional equipment required to meet requests for loans. In addition equipment is loaned by
the British Red Cross Society and by the Council's Welfare Department to handicapped persons.
(Statistics on page 102)
DOMICILIARY MIDWIFERY SERVICE
The Council operates a domiciliary midwifery service under Section 23 of the National
Health Service Act 1946, by an arrangement for utilising the services of midwives employed by
the Nursing Sisters of St John the Divine and the London Hospital In addition the Council
directly employs a non-medical supervisor of midwives.
Section 10 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 consolidated earlier provisions
relating to midwifery services and extends the scope of these services in a number of ways.
No reference is made to the ''lying in period'' which removes any doubts as to the ability of
a local health authority sending inahealth visitor or home nurse rather than a midwife if the
latter is not required
The joint scheme for training midwives by the Nursing Sisters of St. John the Divine and
the Mile End Hospital, continued during the year Pupils who completed the course numbered 12
with 4 pupils under training at the end of the year, The Council pays to the hospital 40 per
cent of the expenditure involved under the provisions of the Ministry of Health Circular 8/56,
There were 270 home confinements attended by the Midwives Four general practitioners from
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