View report page

Loan of home
nursing
equipment

Taking both sexes together, 68 per cent, of all patients whose treatment was completed
were 40 years of age and over, and 47 per cent. 60 years of age and over. Females formed
62 per cent, of the total number of patients treated. Children under the age of five years
accounted for 6 per cent, of the total, while the proportion of patients suffering from
tuberculosis who were nursed at home by the district nursing organisations amounted
to some 4 per cent, of all patients treated.
The increased use of the service is shown in the graph on page 73. The numbers of
visits paid and of treatments commenced rose to a peak in the March quarter ; otherwise
the average number of completed treatments per nurse employed remained fairly
constant. There was no serious epidemic in the first quarter of 1954, but the total of
completed treatments reached 18,102. This compares with 15,524 in the first quarter of
1952 and 21,570 in the corresponding period of 1953, when there was an influenza
epidemic.
The Council provided cars on loan to those district nursing organisations who required
them but were unable to purchase them from their own resources. The Council
licensed, insured and periodically overhauled the vehicles, but running costs were borne
by the organisations and ranked for grant. At the end of the year 17 cars were operated
under this arrangement.
The Council's direct concern in running a home nursing service made it appropriate
to appoint a supervisor of home nursing who was to take up her duties on 1st January,
1955, for an experimental period of one year.
A survey of the work of the district homes and of the nurses engaged in general
duties is being made as well as certain advisory work in connection with the service
as a whole. It is hoped that liaison between the home nursing service and the other
services of the local health authority will be strengthened. Facilities for the training of
student nurses from hospitals are working smoothly and are being developed at
divisional level.
Both written and oral evidence was submitted to a working party which was set
up by the Ministry of Health to consider the training of district nurses.
Under arrangements made by the Council for the care and after.care of sick persons,
nursing equipment may be lent to patients being nursed in their own homes. A deposit
and a small charge, varying from 3d. to Is. a week according to the cost of the article,
are required from those who can afford to pay. This is a continuation and extension of
services run by voluntary organisations before the National Health Service Act, 1946,
came into operation. In London the British Red Cross Society have continued to run
their medical loan depots, as agents of the Council, and are given block grants for the
72