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(•Mainly ear and eye conditions)
Patients were referred to the Nursing Associations in 69 per cent, of the total
by general practitioners, 23 per cent. by hospitals, 2 per cent, by the Council's
officers; the remaining 6 per cent, were received through direct application. The
number of cases referred by general practitioners increased from 63 per cent, in the
first quarter to 75 per cent, in the last quarter of the year. Nearly one quarter
of the cases visited were convalescent or chronically ill following a period of hospital
treatment.
The reasons given for cessation of treatment were recovered or relieved 25 per
cent., convalescent 45 per cent., admitted to hospital 17 per cent., gone away or
lapsed 1 per cent., and died 12 per cent. The substantial fraction of admissions to
hospitals (one-sixth), and of deaths (one-eighth) are indications of the advanced age
of the patients and the degenerative nature of many of the illnesses. Mortality
appeared to be rather higher in some districts than in others, but this is regarded
as partly due to local difficulties in getting patients admitted to hospital,
and partly due to some areas having a relatively higher proportion of degenerative
diseases of advanced age.
The arrangements for the loan of equipment to patients being nursed at home
made with the district nursing associations and the British Red Cross Society in
1948 were continued and efforts were made by these organisations to increase the
amount of equipment available for hire at small charges. However, it was not
always possible for these organisations to meet the demand, and the Council itself
through its own Supplies Department, has had to arrange for the purchase of some
of the larger items of equipment, such as Dunlopillo mattresses and special beds for
paraplegics for loan in certain special cases.
DOMESTIC HELP SERVICE
It was recognised long ago that domestic help in the home immediately after a
birth had taken place and whilst the mother was in the convalescent stage was the
chief factor in relieving the mother's mind of anxiety for the welfare of her family.
It was thought that the mother in the ordinary artisan home would usually be able
to make her own arrangements for the provision of these services without cost to
the State and need not be encouraged to look to public funds for assistance. But
there were some cases where the family was in such poor circumstances as to
preclude the possibility of this without help from outside sources.
History of
the service