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surgeries. It has been difficult to meet the many requests made
for this service and maintain the high standard of care given on seven
days a week to patients within their own homes.
The hours of work for home nurses were reduced to 40 hours on
1st January, 1972. The organisational problems of meeting service
demands are great ones, particularly at times of sickness or during
the main holiday periods. Without the loyalty and support of staff
who will at times give up or change off-duty at very short notice our
problems would be even greater.
The work of the nursing auxiliaries continues to grow. They are
indeed invaluable members of staff. They work with the district nursing
sisters to whom they are responsible, undertaking work that does
not require skilled nursing care, such as bathing, dressing, getting-up
and putting to bed elderly or handicapped patients.
During 1972 they paid 14,606 visits.
Staff
At 31st December, 1972, the staff consisted of:—
1 Principal Nursing Officer.
1 Senior Nursing Officer.
3 Nursing Officers.
21 Whole-time home nurses (female)—S.R.N. and District
Trained.
6 Whole-time home nurses (female)—S.R.N. not District
Trained.
2 Whole-time home nurses (male)—S.R.N. and District
Trained.
1 Whole-time nurse (male)—S.R.N. not District Trained.
4 Part-time home nurses.
3 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).
1 Night nursing auxiliary.
Training of District Nurses
This authority is an approved training area for the practical part
of the district nurse training leading to the National Certificate of
District Nurse Training. Two state registered nurses and one state enrolled
nurse successfully completed their training. Two of these nurses
are still employed by this Authority. Four nursing auxiliaries received
in-service training and are still employed by this Authority.
Hospital Liaison
Throughout the year we have welcomed many visitors from the
hospitals situated within this Borough. Nurse tutors and ward sisters
have come to learn at first-hand about the problems of caring for
patients within their own homes and of the need to ensure that adequate
support services are mobilised before a patient is discharged
from hospital. Many nurses in training have spent up to a month
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