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(3) A member of the W.V.S. qualified in chiropody, occasionally
gives treatment voluntarily, to home-bound and aged persons.
The County Council, in February 1960, approved arrangements for
the provision of chiropody for the elderly, and for expectant mothers and
physically handicapped persons. The scheme came into operation in
May, 1960.
So far as the elderly are concerned, the County Council invited voluntary
bodies administering schemes for chiropody treatment, to continue
and expand their schemes, with financial help from the Council.
The Divisional Medical Officer was asked to administer the scheme
for expectant mothers and handicapped persons, through chiropodists
practising in the area who had agreed to participate in the scheme. The
chiropodist is paid a uniform fee of 7s. 6d. for each treatment undertaken
in the surgery. The patient is required to contribute a standard fee of
3s. In approved cases the Divisional Medical Officer may authorise
treatment free of charge.
Negotiations were proceeding at the end of the year for an appropriate
fee for domiciliary visits in necessitous cases. In the meantime a fee of
8/6d. is paid to a chiropodist for a domiciliary visit, where this is agreed,
on medical grounds.
THE CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Supervision. This clinic, as in previous
years, continued to be held at the Nurses Home, 57 Montagu Gardens.
During the year, 146 women made 541 pre-natal attendances. This
represents an attendance of 34.84 per cent of the total number of confinements
which occurred during 1960. Post-natal examinations were also
conducted at this clinic, 14 patients making 16 attendances. As mentioned
in previous reports, however, considerably more women have post-natal
supervision than are recorded here. Those who have institutional
confinements usually return to hospital as a routine a few weeks after
their discharge, and have their post-natal examination conducted by
the hospital Medical Officers.
Institutional Confinements. Three hundred and eight or 73.51 per
cent. of births allocated to this district, took place in hospitals and
nursing homes, compared with 72.35 per cent recorded in the previous
year.
Patients going into hospital for a confinement are classified under
two headings, those whose admission is essential on medical grounds
and those who have unsatisfactory homes in which it would be inadvisable
to conduct a domiciliary confinement. Every case is properly
investigated, and it is only after a visit from the Health Visitor that
patients requiring admission on social grounds are put forward for
consideration by the hospital.
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