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
Merton 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton]
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The table below gives details of the numbers of cases on the books at the beginning and end of the year, the cases added and disposed of during the period and the age groups into which they fall:—
| Age group | Cases on books at 1.1.68 | Cases added | Cases removed | Cases on books at end of period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-5 years | 5 | 14 | 19 | - |
| 5-64 years | 155 | 597 | 602 | 150 |
| 65 years and over | 670 | 1,306 | 1,198 | 778 |
| Totals | 830 | 1,917 | 1,819 | 928 |
The total number of cases attended during the year was 2,747.
The following table shows the total number of visits made each month:—
| January | 8,337 |
| February | 7,488 |
| March | 7,309 |
| April | 7,620 |
| May | 8,344 |
| June | 7,342 |
| July | 7,977 |
| August | 6,850 |
| September | 7,320 |
| October | 8,228 |
| November | 8,047 |
| December | 7,635 |
| Total | 92,497 |
Although there is a slight decrease in the number of visits made
by the District Nurses in 1968, the care given is still mainly to the
elderly, infirm, and chronically sick patient, and is therefore more
time consuming.
Marie Curie Foundation Cancer Nursing Service
This Authority acts as agents for the Marie Curie Memorial
Foundation who bear all the costs of the Day and Night Sitting Service
supplied locally to any cancer patient being nursed at home and
in need of additional care, especially night attendance. This service
is staffed by qualified nursing staff and unqualified staff, and the
appropriate person is sent to each case. The service is run locally
through the Home Nursing Service.
The aim of this service is mainly to relieve relatives from night
nursing duties to enable them to get sufficient sleep and rest in order
to continue the often strenuous task of looking after a really sick
patient, particularly when he or his family wish the relative to remain
at home until the end.
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