London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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Home Nursing
There is an establishment of 28 home nurses in the borough. They nursed 3,121 patients during
the year, and of these 1,995 were over the age of 65 years. These were not all chronic cases, but
this figure gives some indication of the proportion of geriatric work undertaken in the home. It is
very rewarding in that it keeps an old person in familiar surroundings for as long as possible and
relieves pressure on hospital beds, but it is a social service as well as a nursing one and tribute
should be paid to the devotion of home nurses who often spend additional time on extra visits to
these patients.
The Council operates a scheme in conjunction with the British Red Cross Society for the loan
of nursing equipment, and during the year 1,697 loans were made.
Total number of persons nursed during the year 3,121
Number of persons who were aged under 5 at first visit in 1965 58
Number of persons who were aged 65 or over at first visit in 1965 1,995
There have been no cases of diphtheria in the area of the Borough since 1949. The following figures show the decline brought about by immunisation with its resulting saving not only in human suffering but in hospital accommodation and nursing staff, and are a reminder that only by maintaining a high level of immunisation among children will this disease be held in check.
| Deaths | Cases | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 2,480 | 8 | 46,281 | 126 |
| 1945 | 722 | — | 25,246 | 1 |
| 1950 | 49 | — | 962 | — |
| 1955 | 13 | — | 155 | — |
| 1960 | 5 | — | 49 | — |
| 1965 | — | — | 26 | — |