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37
Better liaison has been effected in the medical and dental care of the
priority groups which is so desirable a feature of the National Health
Service Act.
This applies to -
(a) Expectant and nursing mothers and their young children.
(b) School-children
and has been effected by -
(1) Referral to the family doctor of cases of illness or physical
defect uncovered in our clinics or during routine school
medical inspections, so that the general practitioner has
the opportunity to treat the case himself or arrange further
investigation at his discretion through the hospital
services.
(il) Enabling general practitioners to refer to the Council's
clinics cases first seen by them, which would benefit by
specialist investigation or treatment: this facility
embraces blood taking for routine examination, the antenatal
care of expectant mothers and their referral to our
ante-natal exercise classes so that women who desire
domiciliary confinement share the benefits of all available
services offered to mothers who will go eventually to
hospital to be delivered.
Through the Superintendent Nursing Officer the care of old people in
the home is ensured, especially in the assessment of the need for admission
to hospital as 'chronic sick1 and the elucidation of other medicosocial
problems. Here the District Nurse, the Home Help Service, the
Loan Cupboard Service, and the Health Visitor all play a part in liaison
with the family doctor.
In the after-care of persons discharged from hospital,, the health
visitors have close contact with the physicians and the staff of the
children's ward at the East Ham Memorial Hospital and act as a link
between the hospital, the local health services, and the general practitioner.
In general terms, this health visitor liaison is also effective in
the rendering to hospitals of reports concerning home circumstances which
have a bearing on therapy, and assists the family doctor in the follow-up
and treatment of individual cases after discharge from hospital.
The health visitor on request will assist general practitioners in
the advices to a household on epidemiological problems, the nurture of
sickly and backward infants, breast-feeding and premature baby problems.
Special equipment is available in the loan cupboards for the temporary or
permanent home care of premature infants.
In like manner the health visitor will assist the general practitioner
in the care of problem families and with children exhibiting emotional and
other psychological disturbances. In this way suitable cases can be
referred to the Child Guidance clinic for appropriate investigation and
treatment.
Arrangements are also being made for the assistance of general practitioners
in the care of diabetic subjects in close liaison with their
attendance as out-patients at hospital diabetic clinics.
Unison has been achieved between the general practitioner, the school
the sanitary inspector and the health visitor, in relation to infectious
diseases, in the application of the necessary epidemiological measures.
Through the Superintendent Nursing Officer all possible assistance is
given to the general practitioners in their care of cancer cases.