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Liaison with Hospitals and General Practitioners
Co-operation with general practitioners, hospital medical staff and social
workers continued satisfactorily throughout the year.
Although one health visitor attends a group practice weekly it has not been
possible to progress further in the field of health visitor attachment because of the
acute staff shortage. The position is under continual review and a further partial
attachment may eventuate next year.
Health Education
Health education, at the personal group level, is the highly specialised task of
the health visitor. Talks were given on health subjects at afternoon and evening
meetings of various groups and clubs.
Relaxation and Mothercraft
Seventy-six courses on relaxation and mothercraft for expectant mothers were
held at the clinics. Each course consists of six sessions and during the year 456
sessions were held. Three thousand five hundred and eighty-nine attendances were
made by 747 women.
(See Statistical Tables 10 and 15.)
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.
The number of patients attended was 2,864; of these 1,892 were 65 years of
age or over and 37 were under five years of age. The total number of visits made
was 109,228.
Disposable Equipment
The extended use of disposable equipment in the home nursing service has
materially improved efficiency and safety. All nurses now use disposable syringes
and many use disposable enemata. There continues to be widespread use of disposable
incontinence pads, which are proving to be a valuable adjunct to the
nursing facilities. In addition, protective clothing in the form of waterproof pants
or knickers with disposable linings was provided during the year.
Marie Curie Memorial Foundation
The Marie Curie Memorial Foundation has set up a fund to pay for a Councilrun
service providing day and night nursing and sitter-in care for cancer patients.
The fund also provides for extra comforts, special needs, items of diet and equipment
to assist nursing of these cases.
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