London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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112
APPENDIX M.
22nd June, 1938.
MEMORANDUM ON DOMICILIARY MIDWIFERY.
Need for an additional Municipal Midwife.
When this scheme was framed the figures for midwifery were available up to the end of 1935.
The following table shows the figures up to the end of 1937:—
The following table shows the trend of midwifery:—
| Year | Domiciliary cases attended by Midwives. | Domiciliary cases attended by Doctors. | Births in Hospitals and Nursing Homes. | Total Births notified. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 515 | 1,174 | 1,110 | 2,799 |
| 1932 | 457 | 997 | 1,220 | 2,674 |
| 1933 | 532 | 776 | 1,357 | 2,665 |
| 1934 | 610 | 680 | 1,436 | 2,726 |
| 1935 | 589 | 568 | 1,706 | 2,863 |
| 1936 | 646 | 516 | 1,745 | 2,907 |
| 1937 | 760 | 465 | 1,906 | 3,131 |
On the basis of the figures up to the end of 1935 it was assumed that the Council would require
to deal with 400 cases of midwifery per annum by five Municipal Midwives and Queen Charlotte's
Hospital would require to deal with 200 cases of midwifery per annum by two and a half Midwives
employed by Queen Charlotte's Hospital.
The scheme has been in operation since the 31st October, 1937, and from the returns supplied
by the Municipal Midwives and Queen Charlotte's Hospital the number of cases dealt with is approximately
520 per annum for the five Municipal Midwives and approximately 200 per annum for the two
and a half Midwives employed by Queen Charlotte's Hospital.
The following table shows the average time spent on a midwifery case (
| (a) As originally estimated.* | (b) From midwives' actual experience. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Primary interview at Midwife's home | – | ¼ hour. |
| Ante-Natal Visits at f hour each | 6 4½hours. | 8 6 hours. |
| (Visits) | (Visits) | |
| Confinement | 8 hours | 8 hours. |
| Post-Natal Visits at 1 hour each | 16 16 hours. | 17 17 hours. |
| (Visits) | (Visits) | |
| Clerical work, telephone calls, ineffectual visits, attendances at Health Centres | — | 2¾ hours. |
| Total | 28½ hours. | 34 hours. |
* As submitted in the Council's letter to the Ministry of Health dated 14/4/37.
As each Municipal Midwife has on the average 104 Midwifery cases per annum her actual
hours of work total 3,536 per annum.
In these circumstances the employment of an additional Municipal Midwife is urgently necessary.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
4th July, 1938.
APPENDIX N.
Sunday Meals.
Memorandum by the Medical Officer of Health.
Arrangements are made for providing breakfasts and dinners at Gibbons Road, Strode Road
and Lower Place Feeding Centres. No dinners or breakfasts are provided on Sundays in the South
Kilburn area, but these will be available when the Committee's South Kilburn Centre is opened.
Sunday Breakfasts.
Very few Sunday breakfasts are supplied—none having been supplied at Gibbons Road, none
at Strode Road and only 56 at Lower Place since 1st January, 1938. These breakfasts consist of
bread and butter with jam or marmalade or currant bread and butter with cocoa and milk and as