[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Benfleet U.D.C., Canvey Island U.D.C., Rayleigh U.D.C., Rochford R.D.C. (South East Essex).

  • Benfleet (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Benfleet U.D.C., Canvey Island U.D.C., Rayleigh U.D.C., Rochford R.D.C. (South East Essex). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    widely till’ custom of lioldin;^^ joint ante-natal clinics. An o|)|)ortnnitv was also taken to arraiif^e for the newly ai)i)ointed Superintendent Mid- wife at the Kocliford (ieneral Hospital to visit a number of midwives in their owm liomes in order to obtain some idea of the areas covered and jierhajxs more important, strengthen the liappy relationshij) which alrc'ady exists between the members of the County Staff and the Hospital. .\t a staff meeting held during the year, Mrs. F. Bridge, h'.R.C.S., Consultant Obstetrician to the Southend Oroup of Hospitals, gave a verv interesting talk to the staff in regard to the use of syntometrine in the practice of midwifery, wdrich w'as exceedingly well received and a most interesting and helpful discussion follow'ed. An innovation as far as lectures are concerned was a talk given by a rehabilitated stroke ])atient giving first hand information of his experiences in rehabilitation, at which Dr. A. G. Benians, the consultant geriatric physician, Southend Group of Hospitals, attended. During the year, the local branch of the Royal College of Midwives arranged a study day for midwdves, held at the Rochford ('ieneral Hospital, h'or those members of the staff who were able to attend, it proved most interesting and the arrangements made for lectures and films were much appreciated. The establishment of part II midwifery training school at the Rochford General Hospital referred to in last year’s report w'as brought into operation in September. As far as the district training part of the svllabus is concerned, pupils under the direction of County Council midwives who have been approved as teachers, obtain three months domiciliary experience, and at the end of the year two pupils w^ere under- going training. Six of the County Council midwives have been approved by the Central Midwives Board to act as teaching midwdves. The use of disposable equipment, i.e. gloves, syringes, mucous extractors and incontinence sheets have proved time-saving to the district nurses and midwives, have improved techniques and sterility and, epecially in the case of the pads, eased the lot of patients and their relatives. demonstration and explanation of the w'orking of the Sparklet Oxygen apparatus which is used for infant resuscitation purpo.ses, was given to the midwives during the year. Arrangements were made, initially, for five machines to be made available in this area and for the area to be fully equipped in 1965. At the end of the year a social gathering was arranged at which the Chairman of the Health Area Sub-Committee attended together wdth general medical practitioners, health visitors, home help organisers and members from the staff of the Rochford Maternity Unit. Population increases continue to create a high demand on the home nursing service, w'hich in the main is concerned with the needs of the elderly chronic sick. Additionallv, manv requests were received from general medical practitioners and hospitals for patients who were to be admitted to or discharged from hospital where some nursing attendance W'as required. In various parts of the area invaluable x’oluntary assist- ance has been of great hel]) to the district nursing stafl', generally by way of blanket baths, a seiwice which is \'ery much appreciated. An anah’sis of the work undertaken bv midwix'es, home nurse midwives and home nurses is given in Table I\’ at the end of this report.