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39
Besides the linkages for purposes of medical education referred to elsewhere,
mention may be made of the ophthalmic department instituted at Lambeth Hospital
in the clinical charge of medical staff from the Royal Eye Hospital. This has
worked smoothly and well, and when fully developed should constitute a considerable
addition to the facilities in South London for the treatment of diseases of the eye.
In 1945 the volume of work done by district medical officers was generally
much the same as in 1944, a small increase being shown in the attendances at medical
relief stations or doctors' surgeries, as well as in domiciliary visits, and in persons
seen by district medical officers. The numbers of attendances and visits were
101,652 and 31,612 respectively, compared with 100,992 and 30,172 in 1944. The
number of persons seen was 27,647, compared with 26,640 in 1944. The number of
admissions of district medical officers' patients to hospitals decreased, owing no
doubt largely to the shortage of hospital accommodation for the chronic sick.
District
medical
service
The number of supplementary old-age pensioners included in permanent
medical relief lists and so entitled to call on the services of a district medical officer
at any time continued to increase, and a considerable proportion of the patients
seen by district medical officers is composed of old people.
During the year the arrangements by which district nursing associations
undertake district nursing work on the Council's behalf were continued. The
nurses made 269,245 visits to patients of the district medical officers and to
other persons for whose nursing care the Council is responsible. Of these visits,
105,252 were to administer insulin to diabetic patients; the remainder were for general
nursing. The comparable figure for 1944 was 239,151 visits (of which 97,453 were
insulin visits). The amount of annual grant paid by the Council to the Central
Council for District Nursing in London for distribution to the local associations was
increased, because of the increased expenditure incurred by associations in implementing
the Rushcliffe Committee's proposals regarding salaries of nurses.
District
nursing
service
The arrangements whereby the Council defrays the cost of insulin and similar
drugs supplied by voluntary hospitals to patients unable themselves to pay for them
have been continued. As a result of the Education Act, 1944, the obligation to
provide treatment, whether by insulin or other means, for school children requiring
it now falls on the School Health Service and it is provided without charge to the
parents.
Insulin
In the pharmaceutical department of St. Alfege's Hospital supplies of medicaments
and equipment for their administration are prepared for many branches
of the service. These arrangements supplement those for the preparation of such
items for their own use which exist in a number of other hospitals. At St. Alfege's
Hospital the articles produced or maintained include infusion and transfusion fluids,
oxygen therapy equipment, some 40 varieties of ampoules, and dressings in five
medicated varieties.
Pharmaceutical
supplies
The supply of artificial limbs under the arrangements with Queen Mary's
(Roehampton) Hospital has continued during the past year. These arrangements,
which came into operation in 1932, have enabled patients to benefit from the skill
and exceptional experience of the staffs of this hospital and the associated fitting
centres.
Supply and
repair of
artificial
limbs
On the recommendation of an orthopaedic surgeon, patients, after amputation,
are seen at the limb-fitting centre. The type of limb to be provided is decided
by the limb-fitting surgeon. The type of patient varies considerably. The Ministry
of Labour makes provision for the supply of artificial limbs for most people who
would normally be able to return to work after the fitting of a limb; additional
types of patient are elderly social welfare clients, mental, tuberculous and blind
persons, as well as school children under the Education Act.
The repair and maintenance of limbs is carried out for some 200 patients each
year. In exceptional circumstances, e.g. after double amputation, they are
admitted for walking instruction.