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Domiciliary Service
Considerable emphasis was placed during the year on the need
to expand the Domiciliary Service in those cases where, for various
reasons, opportunity cannot be taken of the normal clinic facilities in
the area. Midwives, health visitors and social workers were all briefed
on the extent of the Domiciliary Service and advised how cases could
be referred, through the Health Department, to the Family Planning
Association, and by the end of the year a number of cases had been
referred. The expansion of the Domiciliary Service will satisfy a
very real need.
Geriatric Service
I am indebted to Dr. Peter Millard, the Borough's Consultant
Physician in Geriatrics, for the following report on this service:—
'During 1971, 497 elderly people were referred for the first time
to the geriatric service. Not all of these were admitted, some being
seen as out-patients or on a domiciliary visit only.
'In April of 1971 Woodlands Hospital was closed and a day
hospital for 20 patients a day and an in-patient rehabilitation unit of
16 beds was opened at the Cumberland Hospital. The development of
the day hospital specifically for Merton patients has helped to maintain
the elderly in their own homes. If this unit is to flourish, however,
there will have to be an increase in the number of day centre places in
the Borough. In the first eight months of operation 107 people attended
for a total of 2,288 attendances.
'In October a mixed sex admission ward for 20 patients was
opened at the Wimbledon Hospital and this unit now plays a valuable
part in the treatment and rehabilitation of the elderly.
'A study of the work carried out in the Department was undertaken
during 1971. Over four-fifths of the patients are referred by their
general practitioners and two-thirds of the patients are aged 80 and
over. Of those admitted a third are discharged within three weeks
and the increasing work of the Department is necessitating an increase
in domiciliary services.
'The close co-operation that is being developed between the
health and social services of the Borough and the hospital service is
helping us to maintain a service for the elderly which is enabling
them to continue to live in the community.'
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