View report page

at this level. Close co-operation also exists between the chest physician and the officers
of the Health Department, and to foster this the chest physician has working with him a staff
of tuberculosis health visitors who are responsible for the follow-up of contacts and for
arranging for the provision of after-care services.
In general, experience has shown that membership of hospital committees can do much to
facilitate liaison with the hospital services.
Paediatrlc Liaison.
This was first established on a formal basis in June, 1950 when a paediatric health
visitor was allocated to work with the Borough's consultant paediatrician who is consultant
to Whipps Cross Hospital, Certain modifications and extensions of the scheme have been made
since its inception. At present there is one paediatric health visitor who accompanies the
paediatrician on his twice weekly round at Whipps Cross Hospital and also attends the consultant
clinics which he holds on local health authority premises. Another paediatric health visitor
has similar functions at Queen Mary's Hospital. These paediatric health visitors are changed
every six months. The privilege is eagerly looked forward to by the health visitor and keeps
her up to date in modern methods of nursing and treating children's diseases. It is helpful
to the paediatrician in keeping him in closer touch with the social conditions under which
his patients live.
Geriatric Liaison.
To obtain the greatest benefit in the treatment and care of the elderly sick it is
necessary that there should be close co-operation between the geriatric unit at Langthorne
Hospital and the Health Department. This co-operation has been assisted greatly by the
nomination of two geriatric liaison health visitors who attend at Langthorne Hospital twice
weekly for advice regarding the care of old people to be discharged, and who arrange whatever
facilities are desirable and available prior to the discharge of the patient. Such arrangements
may include the provision of a home help, the loan of nursing requisites, "meals on
wheels", and so on. She is also in a position to advise the senior medical officer of the
hospital regarding the social circumstances of cases awaiting admission to hospital.
Diabetic Liaison.
Health visitors nominated as diabetic liaison health visitors attend the diabetic clinic
at Queen Mary's Hospital where they receive consultant's advice regarding the care of the
patients. They teach the patients or their relatives how to work out and prepare the menus
prescribed for the patients, and discuss with general practitioners any problems which may arise.
Liaison with General Practitioners.
Co-operation with general practitioners in the Borough has improved most noticeably during
the past few years. The local authority medical officers, health visitors, midwives and home
nurses, psychiatric social worker, occupational therapist, and other officers have all been
encouraged to work in close touch with the practitioners in the interests of their patients.
98