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the need for this type of accommodation is so much greater there are now
none of these establishments in the district. The result is that the needs
of some of those who might have been well looked after in this way can
now be met only by their being admitted to one of the nursing homes
which, catering as they do for acute medical or surgical cases, have to
be more elaborately equipped and more lavishly staffed. There is room
for homes for these elderly persons who can contribute to their maintenance,
of establishments which provide a standard of accommodation and
of staffing not as high as those homes admitting maternity cases and acute
surgical cases.
ESTABLISHMENTS FOR MASSAGE AND
SPECIAL TREATMENT
Section 355 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1944, prohibits
any person carrying on in this district an establishment for massage and
special treatment without a licence from the District Council authorising
him to do so. There is a saving clause for registered members of the
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and for members of the medical
profession.
There were 32 of these establishments at the beginning of the year.
Two were licensed during the year, but the use of one was discontinued.
Three practices changed premises during the year. At the end of the
year 33 premises were licensed.
NURSING, MIDWIFERY, ETC., IN THE HOME
General Nursing
This is essentially a day-time service provided by a number of nurses,
some whole-time, some part-time, working under the Superintendent,
Mrs. Bromley. General medical practitioners get directly into touch with
the nurses about the treatment of their patients.
At the end of the year there were 20 whole-time nurses and 8 parttime
nurses who worked mostly in the mornings, an equivalent of 25
whole-time staff. During the year they paid in all 63,662 visits.
Midwifery and Maternity Nursing
There are 10 midwives living in their own homes in different parts
of the district whose practices are largely round their homes. The
Non-Medical Supervisor of the midwives is Mrs. Bromley (Tel. No.
Pinner 5752).
Last year the midwives attended the confinements of 609 women in
their own homes, being present in 505 instances as midwives and in 104
as maternity nurses. Of these mothers confined in their own homes,
521 had the advantage of gas and air analgesia, 237 of pethidene and
54 of trilene.
Home Helps
The Home Help Service continued last year on much the same lines
as in previous years. Although essentially an emergency service or at