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STAFF
22.4 Our recruitment position improved following the establishment of better working
conditions and the provision of additional equipment. A team spirit emerged with the
increased contact between chiropodists which was facilitated by the presence of a fulltime
clerk and an appliance centre under the direction of Mr. H.J. Prior, the chief
chiropodist at the Dennis Geffen Health Annexe, who retains a most important teaching
contact with the Chelsea School of Chiropody.
LIAISON
22.5 Liaison was maintained with general practitioners, hospitals, and other organisations
concerned with the provision of services for the aged. Sometimes the chiropodist
making a domiciliary visit was able to alert other workers to an emergency. The Chief
Chiropodist assisted the Welfare Department by arranging for a chiropodist to visit old
people's homes when staffing difficulties arose.
HOME NURSING
23.1.1 The Queen's Institute of District Nursing decided in 1967 to cease awarding
their certificate after the examinations in May 1968. The then Minister of Health, after
consultations with the Local Authority Associations and the Queen's Institute, decided
to introduce unified arrangements for training home nurses for a single National Certificate,
district nurse training and examinations being conducted under arrangements to be
made by local health authorities themselves.
23.1.2 A working party appointed to consider alternative arrangements for training
within Greater London suggested that advantage should be taken of facilities for theoretical
instruction in preparation for the certificate which existed in, or were proposed
by, the polytechnic colleges. The North-Western Polytechnic started a course in 1968
and this has been used in conjunction with the Borough's arrangements for the practical
training of sponsored students. Examinations are conducted by the colleges on behalf of
the Department of Health.
ATTACHMENT OF HOME NURSES TO GENERAL PRACTITIONERS
23.2.1 A pilot scheme of attachment of a home nurse to a group practice was introduced
on 6th February 1967 (see paragraph 13 of this report). A home nurse started to attend
exclusively the patients on the list of a group of practitioners, irrespective of the
Borough boundaries. The nurse called regularly at the surgery and can give treatment
there by appointment.
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