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PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE
HOME NURSING SERVICE
This year the number of staff providing the Service remained the same
throughout the year, with the exception of short periods when replacement
staff were being selected.
There was an increase in the number of patients cared for and within
this number, the increase of elderly and chronic sick, and long term sick.
There were one hundred more such patients admitted to the books in this year
than in 1967, in the old Dagenham area alone.
Still on a progressive note, it is now hoped to start a bath attendant
service in the New Year. This has been a long awaited and much needed service.
The attendants will visit patients who, although in need of some help with
bathing, do not need real nursing care as such. The patients will still
remain under the supervisory care of the home nurse. This service will to
some extent help to relieve the nurse, so that she can devote more time and
attention to the ill patient.
The Marie Curie Day/Night Service which is for the care of patients
suffering from Cancer, met with difficulties this year. This is very
regrettable because in the past years many patients and their relatives
have received much comfort and help from these very noble attendants. It
has been found that this is spasmodic work and for this reason many of the
'sitters' have left the service for more regular employment, and therefore,
a more regular wage. However, the service is still in existence and still
making a very valuable contribution.
Statistics
Total number of persons nursed during the year 2,035
Number of persons who were aged under 5 at first visit 8
Number of persons who were aged 65 or over at first visit 827
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 by relatives.
2,362 articles were loaned during the year and 4,035 items were out on
loan at the end of the year. In addition, 35,400 disposable pads for incontinent
patients were issued. The disposal of these pads has not given rise
to any major difficulty up to the present, although their increasing use
may call for special arrangements in the future, particularly in smokeless
zones and in centrally heated blocks of flats. Where patients have not been
able to dispose of the pads, this has been arranged at the destructor plant.
Following advice from the Ministry of Health in August 1966, the sick-room
equipment loan scheme was extended to include the provision of waterproof pants
and knickers with disposable linings for incontinent people. During the year,
29 pairs of these garments were issued.
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