[Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Tynemouth County Borough.

  • Tynemouth (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1952
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Tynemouth County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    77/82 (page 68)
    One Health Visitor spends a considerable ])art of her time tracing venereal diseases contacts, and here again tlie close proximity of the Public Health Department premises with the local hospital at which treatment is carried out, promotes close co-operation between tracer and clinic. Nursing Equipment ; Many articles of nursing equipment are lent out to patients, free of charge, on the written recommendation of the Family Doctor. Such articles as invalid chairs, bed rests, waterproof slieets, bed pans, urinals, crutches, air rings, etc., are freely circulated. DOMESTIC HELP The local Home and Domestic Help Scheme came into operation in December, 1948, in accordance with the proposals approved by the Minister under Section 20(3) of the 1946 Act. The following figures illustrate the scope of this work during the past few years :— Year Confinements Aged, Infirm and Others 1949 12 19 1950 14 58 1951 31 61 1952 21 68 Tlie scheme was originally intended to serve the emergency needs of expectant and nursing mothers primarily, but figures show that since its inception help has been applied for, and granted, in the following pro¬ portions ;— Confinements : 40%. Aged, Infirm and Others : 60%. The service is directed by the Superintendent Nursing Officer, with assistance from Health Visitors and clerical staff. An average of four to six part-time helpers are employed and their wages and conditions of service are in accordance with tlie Agreements of the Northern Provincial Council. No retaining fees are paid to helpers. The Home Help provides her own food and no subsistence allowance for meals is granted. Out-of-pocket travelling expenses are re-imbursed. Each Home Help is supplied with a stencilled list of her duties. One important direction is that she must not undertake the duties of a Midwife or a Maternity Nurse, or interfere in any way with the instructions of a Doctor or Midwife. Charges for the service are assessed in accordance with the scale of the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint Committee. Help is limited to a maximum period of two weeks, but this period can be extended at the discretion of the Medical Officer of Health in exceptional cases. The service is considered to be used for the purpose of tiding a household over an emergency and is not intended to provide subsidised permanent domestic assistance.