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Child help
A resident child help was provided for one family to look after the children whose
mother had died and whose father had to be admitted to hospital.
Night
attendance—
chronic sick
The requests for service were fewer than was expected but ten homes were supplied
with night help for varying periods to give some relief to relatives.
District
nursing
The calls upon the home nursing service continue to increase and the invaluable
work of the district nurses has undoubtedly lessened the demand for hospital beds
and has been of great assistance to family doctors.
Loan
equipment
more requests are being received from general practitioners ana district nursing
associations for the loan of home nursing equipment and stocks were increased. Wheelchairs
and commodes are among the articles in greatest demand.
Foot clinics
Attendances at root clinics continue to increase and many old people have gained
benefit from the treatment given. Waiting lists are still heavy and six to eight weeks
usually elapse between appointments. The service is supplemented by voluntary
organisations in each borough, two of which arrange domiciliary visits.
Domiciliary
care of the
tuberculous
Recent advances in the early diagnosis and methods of treatment of the tuberculous
have led to the earlier admission of patients to sanatoria. In consequence fewer patients
have been cared for at home and there has been a reduced demand for extra nourishment.
Occupational therapists have now been appointed to visit those patients who are
homebound and give them instruction and advice on handicrafts which can suitably
be undertaken at home.
Hurlingham
Lodge
The 28 beds at Hurlingham Lodge hostel were fully occupied. A few of the residents
go to work, but most of them are too old or unfit for regular employment. Arrangements
were made for the re-conditioning of an old greenhouse in the hostel grounds
which will be adapted as a small work-shop where residents will be able to undertake
handicrafts or other work in which they are interested.
Recuperative
holidays
There was again some reduction in the demand for recuperative holidays : this is
probably due in part to some improvement in general health standards and in part to
the fact that many more families can now afford to go away for an annual holiday.
There is still difficulty in finding accommodation for mothers with babies, but otherwise
all demands were met.
Prevention
of accidents
in the home
A survey was commenced ot the cause ot accidents in the home, and local publicity
was arranged during the London 'Safety in the Home' campaign held in November.
Special emphasis was given to this subject by health visitors in their talks to schoolchildren
and parents during the campaign week.
I should like to express my deep appreciation of the help I have received from all
my colleagues on the divisional staff.
I should also like to acknowledge the invariable co-operation and assistance of the
borough medical officers of health, the staff of other departments of the Council and
the members and staff of the numerous voluntary committees and associations in this
division.
In conclusion I must thank the Chairman and members of the Divisional Health
Committee for their constant help and support. Their unfading interest is a great stimulus
to all working in the division.
Division 2, comprising the boroughs of Hampstead, Paddington, St. Marylebone,
St. Pancras and Westminster.
Day nurseries
and childminders
Dr. H. L. Oldershaw reports :
The occupation during the last quarter of the year was 85 per cent. compared with
88 per cent. in 1954. There were 56 per cent. in the first and second priority groups, and
44 per cent. in the third. The number of statutorily and voluntarily registered childminders
at the end of the vear was 109. compared with 171 at the end of 1954.
Immunisation
and
vaccination
Owing to the incidence of poliomyelitis in the division and in surrounding areas,
it became necessary to suspend diphtheria immunisation in schools for a major part of
the autumn term. During the year, 5,077 children were immunised against diphtheria,
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