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12. HOME NURSING
This service is provided under Section 25 of the National Health Service Act,
1946, for sick and aged persons living in their own homes. The Council's Home
Nursing staff consists of 46 nurses, including 2 male nurses.
Patients are almost entirely referred to the department either from hospitals
(70%) or general practitioners (20%). The type of work ranges through short-term care
of acutely ill patients, post-operative dressings and injections, the regular care of
the aged and chronic sick, and finally to terminal care.
The Home Nursing Service works in collaboration with two voluntary organizations.
Firstly, the Council acts as the local agent for the Marie Curie Foundation,
which provides without charge, day and night assistance to patients with terminal
cancer. I am authorized to engage nurses for this work on behalf of the Foundation.
This is a most valuable service, and during the year 12 patients were nursed in this
way.
Secondly, the British Red Cross Society act as the Council's agent under
Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, for the loan of nursing equipment. A
small charge is made to the patient to cover replacement of equipment as required,
but if this is unable to be met, the charge is paid by the Council. The Health Department
arranges for the transport of heavy equipment. There were 2,296 articles loaned
to patients during the year.
The Home Nursing Service was improved in two ways during the year. The most
important was the inauguration in June of a night nursing service for types of
patients not covered by the Marie Curie scheme. The staff consists of two home
nurses who work between the hours of 7.30 p.m. to 12 midnight and 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
It is a five-day service, the staff being off duty each weekend.
This service is amongst the first to be established in the country and has been
found to be of great benefit to the community.
The patients cared for by the night service fall into the following categories:-
(1) Terminal patients requiring nursing care, and pain killing injections at
night.
(2) Elderly invalid people who need help in getting to bed because the relative
caring for them is also elderly.
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