[Report 1956] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council.

  • Dorset (England). County Council.
Date:
1956
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1956] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Co-operation with Hospitals In cases of early discharge from hospital where care is needed for mothers, children and old people, the hospital almoners notify either the health department or the health visitor direct. Health visitors also visit the home when information is required regarding environmental conditions before patients are discharged. Co-operation has been well maintained during the year and has proved particularly valuable in the follow-up of mothers and old people after discharge from hospital. In the South Dorset area and at Dorchester health visitors attend on rota at hospital paediatric clinics, where they are able to advise the paediatricians regarding the home conditions of the children and in their follow-up visits to the home ensure that advice given to the parents is being reasonably interpreted. At Weymouth, health visitors attend the special ear, nose and throat clinics for children. Where space and facilities are available the health visitor attends the hospital and ante-natal clinics to give talks and practical demonstrations on mothercraft. In addition to the obvious benefits to the mother, this arrangement enables the health visitor to be fully informed on all circumstances concerning the confinement so that subsequent visiting is made easier. Facuities for Refresher Courses All health visitors in the employment of the county council attend a post-graduate course of study once in five years. Training No arrangements are made to assist suitable officers to obtain the health visitor’s certificate and no facilities are offered by the council for student health visitors. One of the health visitors on the county staff has been appointed to carry out honorary duties as a Royal Society of Health Examiner of Health Visitors, and is to be allowed special leave for this purpose. Statistics Summary of Visits paid by Health Visitors during the years 1952—1956 Visits to 1952 1953 1954 19; >5 1956 First Visits Total Visits First Visits Total Visits First Visits Total Visits First Visits Total Visits First Visits Total Visits Children under 1 vear of age 4,057 28,113 4,137 27,447 4,035 26,811 3,983 34,739 3,832 24,108 Children between ages of 1 and 5 77 36,583 253 43,315 209 42,973 454 38,851 652 41,107 Expectant mothers 584 898 513 882 647 995 604 947 659 1,002 Other Cases 583 4,154 1,834 6,015 713 5,390 1,003 5,675 1,302 7,424 Home visits to Not Not Not Not Not school children recorded 2,661 recorded 2,995 recorded 1,954 recorded 2,628 recorded 2,874 HOME NURSING {Section 25) Administrative Arrangements This service was delegated to the Dorset County Nursing Association as from July, 1948, acting as agents of the county council, and the arrangement covers the whole of the county. The experience of this association since 1914 ensures that the present service runs smoothly and efficiently. The county nursing officer, assisted by her deputy and an assistant, supervises the work of the nurses as part of her duties. In 1956 the establishment of home nurses in rural areas, who also act in the capacity of midwives, has been fifty-three. In addition, seventeen in Poole, four in Weymouth and one each in Dorchester and Bridport are employed solely on home nursing. As Dorset is a rural county with a scattered population it has been found necessary and economical in staff for the nurses to use car transport, with the exception of one in Poole. The majority of car users provide their own cars and receive a travelling allowance. Co-operation with General Practitioners General practitioners make application for the services of a nurse either directly or through the patient or relatives. The nurse frequently meets the doctor in the home of the patient or in his surgery by mutual arrangement, in order to discuss health matters. This mutually helpful co-operation works smoothly and very satisfactorily. In Poole there is a central office to deal with incoming telephone calls and the allocation of cases. This arrangement has been found necessary for a populous area, but it would be uneconomical for small districts where the nurses can easily deal with their own calls. Liaison with Hospitals Discharge notices of patients requiring treatment are sent by almoners in Poole to the central office, and elsewhere direct to the nurse concerned. This ensures continuity of treatment and the arrangement has worked well. Refresher Courses Full-time home nurses attend such courses as are available from time to time.