View report page

PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE
AND AFTER-CARE
HOME NURSING SERVICE
The year 1965 dawned, and with it a feeling of sadness and certainly some
doubts, at the coming departure from Essex County Council administration and the
inevitable merger into the new London Borough of Barking in the coming April.
April came, plus the new borough, and with it a dispelling of doubts. An increase
in the number of home nursing staff helped greatly in coping with the increasing
demand on the service.
During the year, the training of Queen's Student District Nurses continued,
in conjunction with the London Borough of Waltham Forest School at the Lady
Rayleigh Training Home. Six students, including one male nurse, completed their
training and were successful in passing their examinations. This was, in fact, a
100% pass.
With the shortage of hospital beds, the need for more elderly and chronic
sick people to be nursed at home became very evident. However, many of the older
folk being cared for by home nurses did not, in fact, require skilled attention,
and it was strongly felt that the introduction of a bath attendant service would
be of great value, but, of course, the patients would still be visited by the
nurses. This service is, however, very much in the future.
A very valuable addition to the home nursing service was the commencement in
November of the Marie Curie Day and Night Nursing Service for patients with
terminal cancer. There are eight nurses in this service, and in the short time
that they have been employed have already brought great comfort and relief not
only to the patients but also to relatives of patients they have nursed. Ten
such cases were assisted during the year.
Statistics
Total number of persons nursed during the year 1,791
Number of persons who were aged under 5 at first visit 23
Number of persons who were aged 65 or over at first visit 683
LOAN OF SICK-ROOM EQUIPMENT
Patients being nursed at home may, on medical recommendation, be loaned a
wide variety of equipment to assist in their care.
Bulky items are delivered to patients' homes, smaller articles are collected
from the health department. The types of equipment available include hydraulic
hoists for lifting certain helpless patients from their beds to chairs, their
bath, toilet, etc., commodes, ped-pans, back-rests, walking aids, waterproof
sheets, disposable pads, etc.
2,138 articles were loaned during the year and 3,193 items were out on loan
at the end of the year. In addition, 16,900 disposable pads for incontinent
patients were issued. The disposal of these pads has not given rise to any
difficulty up to the present, although their increasing use may call for special
arrangements in the future, particularly in smokeless zones and in centrally
34