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37
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
At their November meeting the Council considered a report from the Medical Officer
of Health, expressing the view that the extensive maternity and child welfare services in the
Borough would benefit by detailed supervision. The report was still under consideration at
the end of the year, but at the time of writing, Dr. P. Y. Pritchard, whose duties have
always been largely concerned with maternity and child welfare work, has been placed
(under the Medical Officer of Health) in definite control of these services.
During the year the Council received Circular 1433, dated 10th October, 1934, from
the Minister of Health referring to Circular 1167 of the 11th December, 1930, and an
accompanying Memorandum 156/M.C.W. on the subject of Maternal Mortality. The
Memorandum contained various suggestions for improving and developing the maternity
services of local authorities, and the Circular urged the importance of each authority doing
all .that is reasonably possible to provide a sat isfactory service for its area.
The Circular 1433 was particularly directed to those authorities whose districts have unduly
high maternal mortality rates, which is not the case in St. Pancras. The Medical Officer
of Health presented a report reviewing the maternity and child welfare work in the borough,
in the light of the points raised in the Ministry's circular. At the close of the year the
report was still under consideration by the Council.
The Local Government Act, which came into force on April 1st, 1930, authorised the
Minister of Health to make a scheme determining, in relation to voluntary associations
providing maternity and child welfare services, which of them the County Council, and to
which the Metropolitan Borough Councils are to contribute. The scheme provided for the
payment during the fixed grant period to the various voluntary associations of contributions of
the amounts specified in the scheme. Each of the annual contributions were to be paid
either in a single sum before the 30th of September in each year, or in equal quarterly
or half—yearly instalments.
The associations in respect of which the County Council make contributions are
principally those providing residential accommodation.
The scheme came into operation on April 1st, 1930, and continued in force until
31st March, 1933. An amended scheme was then prepared by the Minister of Health, coming
into force on April 1st, 1933, and continuing until March 31st, 1937.