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from the 1st July, 1961, elderly persons, the registered blind and partially
sighted were included in the scheme operated by the Divisional Medical
Officer.
The Chiropodist is paid a uniform fee of 7/6 for each treatment undertaken
in the surgery and 10/6 for a domiciliary visit. The patient is
required to contribute a standard fee of 3/- per treatment. In approved
cases the Divisional Medical Officer may authorise treatment free of charge.
In 1961 the following treatments were undertaken
Elderly persons 34
Handicapped persons 56
Expectant mothers 1
Total 91
The chiropody service introduced in 1958 thiough the active cooperation
of the W.V.S. and the British Red Cross Society, continued to
operate in 1961. In addition arrangements were made through the Beddington
and Wallington Fund for the Aged and Infirm, for a Chiropodist
to visit the homes of sick people who were unable to get out and treatment
was carried out at an agreed cost to the Fund.
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, 150 women made 524 pre-natal attendances. This
represents an attendance of 33.2 per cent of the total number of confinements
which occurred during 1961. Post-natal examinations were also
conducted at this clinic, 12 patients making 12 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 fifteen or 69.69 percent.
of births allocated to this district, took place in hospitals and
nursing homes, compared with 73.51 percent 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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