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DISTRICT NURSING
This is a service which provides trained nurses to nurse the sick in their own homes. The nursing
staff work in close liaison with hospitals and general practitioners so as to give the patient comprehensive
nursing care.
2,766 new patients were referred during the year, and the nurses paid a total number of 142,054
visits to all patients. 867 of these visits were more than one hour's duration. At the end of the year, 1,090
cases were on the register.
General Practitioner Attachment
There are now four District Nursing Sisters attached to group practices. These schemes work well
to the benefit of the patient and the satisfaction of the doctors and nurses.
INCONTINENCE PADS
The provision of incontinence pads free of charge to the incontinent patient has now been extended
to cover the needs of patients where there is no district nurse in attendance. Requests come from general
practitioners and other sources. A member of the District Nursing Service visits the patients to assess their
needs.
When patients have difficulty in disposing of soiled pads in their homes, the Council arranges for
them to be collected and disposed of by incineration at the Greater London Council refuse disposal plant
at Alperton.
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Vaccination and immunisation of children against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis
and smallpox was undertaken by Assistant Medical Officers and by General Practitioners as set out in
the following programme: —
Age Immunised against
2- 6 months Diphtheria/tetanus/whooping cough
6-11 „ Poliomyelitis
13-24 „ Smallpox
18 - 21 „ Diphtheria/tetanus/whooping cough
(reinforcing injection approximately one year after
initial course).
Further immunisation by an adsorbed vaccine against diphtheria/tetanus, and a reinforcing injection
against poliomyelitis were undertaken at school entry.
Under the above programme the numbers of children receiving immunisation and vaccination were
as follows:—
Smallpox Primary vaccination 3,058
Re-vaccinations 81
Diphtheria/tetanus/whooping cough - Primary immunisation 4,660
Re-inforcing „ 4,945
Poliomyelitis Primary inoculation 5,346
Re-inforcing „ 2,436
RECUPERATIVE HOLIDAY HOMES
The authority is empowered to arrange the admission of patients recommended by general practitioners,
hospitals and clinics to recuperative homes, provided their medical condition is such as to indicate
that they require no form of medical or nursing care, are able to walk and dress unaided, and fit to travel by
normal public transport. The arrangements are intended for patients requiring a short period of rest, fresh
air and good food to complete their recovery from a recent illness or set-back in health.
Patients in need of any form of medical and nursing care requiring convalescence are the responsibility
of the Regional Hospital Board.
During the year, the authority accepted financial responsibility for the maintenance of 150 persons
in recuperative holiday homes. Of these, 127 were admitted to such homes and 23 were cancelled or withdrawn.
Of the 127 cases admitted, 116 were adults and 11 were children under school age.