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"teething" troubles, a satisfactory system is now in operation and
has been of considerable help to the authority.
Post-graduate refresher courses for nurses are only statutory
for midwives and satisfactory cover was arranged to enable a third
of the nurses to attend.
Home Nursing
A satisfactory feature has been the recruitment of nurses to a
full complement. This has enabled the Superintendent to replan
the districts so that a designated relief nurse is available to each.
The importance of such relief is shown in the heavy nursing care.
65% of the patients attended were over 65 years of age. Effective
liaison with the Welfare Section has enabled full use to be made
of nursing aids.
A recent research by the Queen's Institute entitled "Feeling
the Pulse" has suggested the need for a reappraisal of the work of
Home Nurses with special reference to increasing opportunities for
the additional employment of State enrolled nurses. Such
reappraisal is now taking place in the Borough as is also consideration
of the possibilities of attachment schemes.
Home Help Service
The report sets out fully the types of households where
domiciliary help is needed.
A Family Welfare Help is provided where a careful assessment
of the needs of a "problem family" calls for such assistance.
A Family Care Help is provided where the mother has been
admitted to hospital. Night and evening service is needed for the
elderly and frail living alone.
Reference is made to recruitment difficulties. The nature of
the work makes it necessary to employ mainly part-time workers
but it is intended to build up the nucleus of whole-time workers
so that more assistance can be given in Family Care and Family
Welfare.
Health Education
The policy of the Council has been to appoint to the Health
and Welfare Department, an officer to develop and co-ordinate all
work concerning Health Education and to encourage voluntary
effort to set up Home Safety Committees in the Borough. In this
way, the Health and Welfare Committee has considered groups of
people, young and old, and special places where health education
is of paramount importance and can be effectively implemented,
and from which it can then be gradually extended.
Though health education is an honest presentation of the
factors promoting good health as shown in the report, it can only