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Home Nursing
27,869 visits were paid to the homes of 1,027 sick persons
during the year by the 13 full-time Home Nurses employed in the
area.
132 of these visits were to patients under 5 years of age, 9,583
to patients over 5 and under 65, and 18,154 to patients over 65
years.
The Home Nursing Service became part of the local health
authority service in 1948, having previously been undertaken by
voluntary District Nursing Associations. At that time seven nurses
were employed on these duties.
Early in 1964, authority was given for the appointment of a
male home nurse—the first in Romford. Such was the demand on
his services, however, that when a vacancy occurred the opportunity
was taken of appointing a second male nurse. Their services
have been well received and they have relieved the female
nurses of nursing many of the heavy patients.
Children at Risk
Mention was made in my Annual Report for 1963 of the
"At Risk" Register commenced during that year to enable any
adverse factors connected with the newly-born infant, whether related
to the medical history of the mother, the pregnancy, or the
birth to be recorded, and for the child to be followed-up with a
view to the detection of any defects at an early age. so that treatment
can be started as soon as possible.
Of the 1,775 live births notified during 1964, the following
numbers have been added to the Register:—
Born at Home 31
Born in Oldchurch Hospital 409
Born in other Hospitals 62
It is expected that the majority of "At Risk" babies will be
found amongst those born in hospital, as the majority of mothers
confined in hospital are admitted for medical or obstetric reasons.
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