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concentrate on home visiting, attendance at ante-natal
and child welfare clinics, relaxation and mothercraft
classes and health education. Health visitors assist
with special surveys of national and local interest.
Liaison with family doctors, hospitals, the staff of
the children's, education and welfare departments and
with the personnel of many statutory and voluntary
bodies is an important part of the health visitor's
work. Through her experience and knowledge of all
the social services available she is able to advise
families and, if necessary, to refer them to the
appropriate agencies.
Staff
The establishment of health visitors is 35. At the
end of the year the staff consisted of one superintendent,
one deputy superintendent, the whole-time
equivalent of 20 health visitors and nine clinic nurses.
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During the year two health visitors attended a
fieldworkers' instruction course at Chiswick Polytechnic,
two attended refresher courses and four
participated in one-day conferences.
Students
One student health visitor attending the course at
Chiswick Polytechnic as an independent student was
placed in this borough for practical training.
An intensive study of the various types of liaison
and attachment schemes between health visitors and
groups of family doctors is in progress. This is of
added importance in view of this Council's forward
policy in regard to the provision of Health Centres in
the Borough.
Home Nursing . Section 25
The Home Nursing Service brings skilled nursing
care to people in their own homes. Treatment and
care is given at the request of and under the direction
of the patient's family doctor.
The introduction of modern drug therapy enables
many patients with an acute illness to be treated at
home instead of in hospital. The pressure on hospitals
is also relieved by earlier discharge of patients from
hospital to the care of the family doctor and the
home nurse.
The two male nurses have proved of great value in
the nursing care of genito-urinary diseases in the
male, in the lifting of heavy patients and generally in
their nursing care and rehabilitation.
Visits made during 1965 totalled 91,540 to 2,482
patients, 1,606 of whom were aged 65 years and over.
Disposable equipment including syringes, gloves
and enemas are in full use in the home nursing service.
The council has continued the policy of the former
Middlesex County Council to issue incontinence pads
to patients being nursed in their own homes, and
whose condition justifies their use. The issue of such
pads is not restricted to patients who are receiving
care from the Council's home nurses and all family
doctors practising in the Borough can obtain pads for
their patients on request.
Laundry Service
The arrangements made by the former district
councils with a local laundry for a service for incontinent
patients has continued. Those who are infirm
or where washing facilities are poor and payment of
laundry charges cannot be afforded, are provided
with a free laundry service under Section 84 of the
Public Health Act 1936. During the year 29 cases
were assisted in this way after certificates had been
issued as required by the Act. Sheets were also loaned
free of charge to a few necessitous cases.
Staff
The borough has an establishment of 33 home
nurses. There has been no difficulty in recruitment
and a full establishment has been maintained almost
continuously throughout the year.
The question of greater liaison with family doctors
is receiving continuous study for reasons stated under
the previous heading.
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Three home nurses attended the District Nurse
Training Course at the Chiswick Polytechnic, and
were successful in obtaining the National Certificate
of District Nurse Training.
Arrangements are made with several hospitals
whereby student nurses accompany home nurses on
visits as part of their practical training.
Refresher Courses
During the year two home nurses attended refresher
courses organised by the Queen's Institute of District
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