London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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27
To attract health visitors to work in the Borough, the Council approved
the acquisition of a property with a view to conversion into suitaole flatlet
accommodation and at the end of the year the work was in progress.
I consider that the shortage of health visitors is one of the most serious
problems that this department faces especially as the decentralisation of the
local health service to the London Boroughs has given greater emphasis to the
maternal and child health centres as a basic point of contact between members
of the public and the Council's services.
Details of some of the work done by the health visitors is set out Delow: -
| Cases visited by health visitors | No. visited:- | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| At request of G.P. or hospital | Others | Total | |
| Children born in 1967 | 5,005 | ||
| Children born in 1966 | 4, 515 | ||
| Children born 1962-65 | 9, 213 | ||
| Total No. of children born 1962 - 67 | 18,733 | ||
| Persons aged 65 or over | 59 | 282 | 341 |
| Mentally disordered persons | 4 | 162 | 166 |
| Persons, excluding maternity cases, discharged from hospital (other than mental Hospitals) | 17 | 68 | 85 |
| Tuberculous households | 8 | ||
| Households visited on account of other infectious diseases | 16 | ||
HOME NURSING
The statistical summary below indicates briefly the amount of work carried
out during the year:-
No. of cases being nursed at end of 1967 . . .. .. 807
Total number of patients nursed during year.. .. .. 2,760
(Of these 91 were aged under 5 years and 1,106 were aged
over 65 years at their first visit in 1967)
Total number of visits during 1967 .. .. .. .. 100,787
No. of home nurses .. .. .. .. .. .. 35
Last year I drew attention to the publication of the Qyeen's institute
of District Nursing entitled "Peeling the Pulse" which indicated that the
district nursing service was not being fully utilised. It was felt that a
similar survey carried out in this Borough might indicate how Hackney measured
up to this criticism and a questionnaire was, therefore, sent to all general
medical practitioners practising in Hackney.
An analysis of the findings would seem to indicate that the best use is not
being made of the local district nursing service. In 1968 discussions will take
place between the Department and the family doctors to see what, if any, improvements
or alterations can be made to ensure full use of the service to the benefit of
all concerned.