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night attendants to provide some relief for those people who are called
upon to sit up constantly all night with sick relatives or friends, or to help
those who are sick and have no-one to whom they can turn for such assistance,
has continued, the County Council making agreed payments to the
Association in respect of approved cases where need in meeting the cost
of the service provided by the Association's night attendants has been
proved.
The following are the details of the cases dealt with under the County
Council's scheme during 1955:—
No. of cases being attended at 31.12.54 3
„ „ new cases attended during 1955 22
„ „ cases discontinued during 1955 22
„ „ „ being attended at 31.12.55 3
Total nights' attendance given 450
Home Nursing.— The Home Nursing Service in Ilford is undertaken
by Nurses under the supervision of the Superintendent of the Lady
Rayleigh Training Home at Leytonstone but operating from the Branch
Home "Abury House" in Aldborough Road, Ilford.
The work undertaken by Home Nurses in the Ilford area in 1955 was
as follows:—
Cases attended 2,773
Visits paid 82,473
Health Education.—Posters covering various aspects of Health were
displayed at the Public Health Offices and the Mayesbrook. Manford Way
and Newbury Hall Clinics throughout the year, and an exhibition stand
in the entrance hall of the Public Health Offices was used for the display
of illustrative material on Care of the Teeth.
As mentioned last year, a Health and Home Safety Week was held
from the 18th to 23rd April, 1955, run by the Ilford Borough Council,
the Essex County Council and the Women's Voluntary Services, an Exhibition
being held at Messrs. Harrison Gibson's Store and a series of
lectures being given at the Little Theatre. Various clinic services were
demonstrated and the opportunity was taken at the same time to participate
in the national publicity campaign on the subject of diphtheria immunisation,
advertisements being inserted in the local press for two consecutive
weeks.
During the year a total of 41 lectures on various Health subjects
were given by members of the medical staff of the Department, 30 to
mothers attending Infant Welfare and Ante-Natal Clinics, and 11 to various
organisations.
Dental Treatment.—Mr. E. V. Haigh, the Senior Dental Officer, has
submitted the following report:—
" The treatment of expectant and nursing mothers has been carried
out only at Mayesbrook Clinic during 1955. This has been due to the
shortage of permanent dental staff. The patients were referred from antenatal
and post-natal clinics; also children under five have been referred
from welfare clinics and have received treatment. Three sessions per week
were devoted to this work.
Usually extractions were performed under general anaesthesia using
nitrous oxide and oxygen and always given by a doctor.
Other treatment, such as fillings, scalings and gum treatment, was
given when necessary.
Dental X-ray facilities available at the clinic were used where required,
often saving the patient pain and inconvenience by a much quicker
diagnosis.
Dentures were provided for mothers when necessary, these being
made by a local dental laboratory, by arrangements which have been in
operation for many years,"