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Health Education
The health visitors play a dominant role in health education, mainly at a
personal and group level.
They gave a number of talks on a variety of health subjects at afternoon and
evening meetings of various groups and clubs.
Four courses of eight sessions each were given in Home Safety and Mothercraft
to members of the British Red Cross Society.
Relaxation and Mothercraft
The courses on relaxation and mothercraft for expectant mothers, which are held
in the clinics, continued to be popular. Each course consists of six sessions, and
during the year, 506 sessions were held, attended by 809 women, who made a total
of 4,102 attendances.
(Statistical Tables, 10, 15—see pages 115, 117).
HOME NURSING
Under Section 25 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, it is the duty of
every local health authority to make provision in their area for securing the
attendance of nurses on persons who require nursing in their own homes.
At the end of the year, the full establishment of 40 whole-time nurses was
employed and, in addition, one part-time supernumerary nurse. The latter appointment
was made in special circumstances arising from the nursing care needed by a
patient who was paralysed following a road accident.
The number of patients attended was 3,123, and of these 1,956 were 65 years
of age or over, and 44 were under five years of age. The total number of visits
made was 116,704.
Training Courses
The District Nurse training course at the Chiswick Polytechnic was attended by
four nurses, all of whom were successful in obtaining the National Certificate of
District Nurse Training. Refresher courses of one week's duration, organised by
the Queen's Institute of District Nursing, were attended by four nurses.
Disposable Equipment
The extended use of disposable equipment in the home nursing service has
materially improved efficiency and safety, and all nurses now use disposable syringes
and many use disposable enemata. The use of disposable incontinence pads has
proved to be of great value.
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