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38
HOME NURSING
During the year the recruitment position remained constant, the
number of vacant posts at the end of the year being 18. An integrated
course of District Nurse training for State Enrolled Nurses leading to
the National Certificate is run in co-operation with St. Bartholomew's
Hospital and St. Matthew's HospitaL Hammersmith Hospital run a special
integrated course for higher grade student nurses taking a combined
SRN/District Nurse/Health Visitor course and arrangements have been
made for the students to carry out their practical District Nurse
training in Hackney.
The limited scheme of partial attachment of District Nurses to
general medical practices continued satisfactorily. The new Health
Centre at Somerford Grove opened during the year and 2 District Nurses
(SRN) and 1 District Nurse (SEN) were placed there to work with the 4
general medical practitioners in the Centre, in addition to their duties
with other patients in the area. It is hoped to arrange further
attachments as other Health Centres open in the future.
The statistical summary set out below indicated briefly the amount
of work carried out by the District Nurse during the year.
Number of cases being nursed at the end of 1971 944
Total number of patients nursed during the year 2,518
(of these 23 were aged under 5 years and 1,145 were
aged 65 years or over at their first visit in 1971)
Total number of visits during 1971 96,106
Number of home nurses 28
Bathing Service and Incontinent Laundry
The bathing service for elderly people was carried out at Shoreditch
Health Centre and during the year 973 baths were given. In addition
home bathing is undertaken in cases where a visit to the Centre is not
possible. The number of baths given was 9727. The laundering of soiled
linen continues to be carried out at Millfields Centre. In 1971 the
number of articles laundered totalled 43,952.
These figures all show an increase on previous years and are an
indication of the increase in the number of elderly persons in the
Borough.
Loan of Equipment
Patients being nursed at home were able to obtain nursing equipment
on loan free of charge from the Council.
The following is a list of the Council's home nursing equipment
most of which was on loan throughout the year.
Air rings (rubber and foam) 48
Back rests 100
Bed cradles 113
Bed pans 36