[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    38/104 (page 36)
    Section 28.—Pricvontion of Illness, Care and After Care. Nursing Kquipinent and Apparatus. The organisation of llie Medical C’oid'orts Sclieine carried out on behalf of the Comity Council by the British lied Cross Society and the St. -John Anibnlance Brigade has been gradually built up throughout the last twelve months into a useful service which is steadily expanding. The British lied Cross Society have now 61 Medical Comfort Dejiots working, If of which are mahi centres holding, in addition to the normal stock, 1 hat equipment which is in less general use such as wheel chairs, s])inal carriages, hosihtal type bedsteads and dunlojiillo mattresses. The St. John Ainbulaiu'e Jlrigade are manning 2t) dejiots, five of which are classed as main ones on similar lines to those held by the British Bed Cross Society. With very few exceptions the District Nursing Associations have generously put their Medical Comforts under the care of the nearest depot without any reserve. In actual practice much of it has been left with the District Nurse for emergency use, but the de2rot holder is resjionsible for its maintenance and for the recovery of hire pharges as she is for all other equi})- ment on her lists. An expellent liaison is being established between the District Nurses and the depot holders and the 2)hm foi' the Nurses to hold an emergency stock of small articles in constant demand is working well. As far as the 2>atient is concerned most of his medical comforts are still brought to him by the nurse and it is only when she cannot supjdy his wants that he needs an authorisation from his doctor or nurse to enable him to apj^ly to the depot direct. When a District Nurse draws on her emergency stock she is expected to notify the depot holder immediately in order that she may have the loan replaced and so that the depot holder may arrange for the recovery of the approved hire charges and ultimate return of the loan. The depot holder is also resjmnsible for the adequate cleansing of all medical comforts as soon as they are returned and before they are taken into stock again for further use. The stock of each dej^ot is being gradually brought up to a minimum standard by the purchase of equijmient as required. It is to be a])irreciated that the jjersonnel required to man the total of 60 Medical Comfort Depots on a voluntary basis throughout the county is no mean task. The tact that it is being done is a tribute to the voluntary s^jirit which is such a strong tradition in Somerset. Section 29. Home Help Service The County is divided into six areas with centres at Weston-super-lMare, Bridgwater, Wells, Midsomer Norton, Yeovil and Taunton, and is at present staffed by the County Council with a County Organiser, two County Area Organisers at Bridgwater and Yeovil, with one full¬ time and ten part-time clerks. The areas of Weston-siijoer-lMare, Midsomer Norton, Wells and Taunton are still ably run by organisers from the Women’s Voluntary Services. Invaluable hcl]5 is given by members of this service and other voluntary workers in the smaller towns and rural districts, ’bhese volun¬ tary helj)ers have given their time and energy with enthusiasm to build the Service to its lU'esent strength, and their local knowledge has been found jnu'ticularly helpful.