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HOME NURSING
Introduction
The amount of work undertaken by the home nurses continues
to grow at an almost overwhelming rate. 108,442 visits were paid
during 1971, an increase of 11,876 on those of 1970. More patients
are being referred for nursing care with the most significant increase
this year being in the age groups under five years and 65 years and
over. As the percentage of people aged 65 years and over increases,
more patients are requiring nursing care more often and for longer
periods of time. It is evident that a considerable number of patients
require nursing care late at night, or during the night. At present those
patients who require urgent care during the evening are attended to by
staff working split shifts; but with the increased volume of work, its
type, and the time many visits take, the small increase in establishment
obtained has not been adequate to meet this demand.
The organisational problems of providing adequate staff, who
work a five-day week, to meet day and evening demands of patients
for seven days a week is a tremendous one. Problems become doubled
during periods of staff sickness and annual leave. It is obvious that
this Authority requires a night nursing service as a matter of urgency.
The work undertaken by the nursing auxiliaries continues to grow,
and it is of immense value. They are, indeed, very important members
of the health care team. During 1971 they paid 11,086 visits, an
increase compared with 1970, of 3,519. They work under the supervision
of the trained home nurse, bathing, dressing, getting up and
putting to bed elderly patients who do not require skilled nursing care.
The trained nurse, however, still paid 5,495 visits that could have
been undertaken by an auxiliary. The number of visits of this type
increased by a total of 2,000 during 1971 and this again shows the
demands made on the service by the large number of elderly people
in the Borough who are unable to give adequate care to themselves.
Staff
At 31st December, 1971 , the staff consisted of:—
1 Principal Nursing Officer (Home Nursing and Midwifery) who
also acts as Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives.
1 Senior Nursing Officer.
3 Nursing Officers.
21 Whole-time home nurses (female)—S.R.N. and District
Trained.
7 Whole-time home nurses (female)—S.R.N. (not District
Trained).
3 Whole-time home nurses (male)—S.R.N. and District
Trained).
2 Part-time home nurses.
2 Whole-time home nurses (female) S.E.N. and District
Trained.
3 Whole-time home nurses (female) S.E.N. not District
Trained.
13 Part-time nursing auxiliaries (female).
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