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39
This is an important part of the training programme and enables the
students to see at first hand the variety and scope of the local health
authority's services.
Incontinence Pads
In accordance with the Minister of Health's Circular 14/66, incontinence
pads are now issued on a much wider scale to patients of all
categories who suffer from incontinence. Requests are mainly received
from general practitioners and hospitals. The overall demand for this
service has shown a steady increase with 22,092 pads being issued during
the year.
Incontinent Pants and Interlinings
These items are now being provided on a doctor's request for the
incontinent aged. They have proved very successful. One hundred pants
and 6,600 interlinings were issued in 1967.
Incontinent Laundry Service
This service helps with the problem of nursing the incontinent
patient at home and the assistance of Edgware General Hospital in
organising the service is much appreciated.
Marie Curie Foundation—Day and Night Nursing Service
The department continues to act as agents for the Marie Curie
Foundation and has available the services of three nurses. Twenty-five
cases were nursed during the year, the majority being night nursings, thus
providing the relatives with much needed and appreciated assistance when
it is most needed.
Section 26 — Vaccination and Immunisation
No changes were made in the immunisation schedules during the
year and every opportunity was taken to advise parents of the importance
of ensuring that all children were fully protected against smallpox,
diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and poliomyelitis. To ensure that
there is a high level of immunity in the population a system ensuring
accurate recording of all immunisations carried out is essential. The
system should be able to cope with "transfers" in and out of the district,
provide accurate details of total and individual immunisation states at
any given time and also cover the problems of advising when injections
are actually due and "booster" doses required. Various methods are in
use to try and cover these points but as the human element is nearly