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39
HEALTH SERVICES OF OTHER AUTHORITIES IN THE AREA
The hospital facilities provided by the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, and
the maternity and child welfare and school health services provided by the Middlesex County Council,
remain substantially the same; they are described in the 1948 report.
The two ante-natal and child welfare clinics at Daisley Church Hall, Sneyd Road, Cricklewood,
opened February, 1951, and at St. Catherine's Church Hall, Neasden, opened March, 1952, have proved
very popular and they are well attended by mothers and children in the area.
The extension to the Willesden Chest Clinic was completed in March, 1953.
On the 26th May, 1953, Mr. Orbach, Member of Parliament for East Willesden, and Chairman
of the Central Middlesex Hospital Management Committee, opened1 St. Monica's Hospital, Brondesbury
Park. The building was a children's hospital until the outbreak of war, and had been derelict' for fourteen
years. Reconstruction was carried out and it has accommodation for 35 elderly women patients who need
long-term treatment.
The remainder of the report provides detailed information on the personal health services in the
area since the operation of the National Health Service Act, 1946.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(Section 22) National Health Service Act, 1946
Care of the Expectant Mother.
During 1953, 1,850 expectant mothers attended at the local ante-natal clinics, staffed by the Assistant
Medical Officers. This represents 68-8 per cent, of the total notified births.
Expectant mothers require adequate ante-natal care throughout pregnancy and therefore close liaison
exists between General Practitioners, staffs of hospitals, Assistant Medical Officers, Midwives and Health
Visitors, and with the mothers themselves.
Co-operation.
The Health Visitors make arrangements at the local clinics for mothers for domiciliary confinements
or for hospital bookings. They also inform mothers of the provisions made for them by the authorities.
Temporary day nursery accommodation can be provided in certain cases.
Blood Tests.
Assistant Medical Officers take specimens of blood from mothers attending Paddington Hospital
or those having home confinement for Wasserman reaction, blood grouping and determination of Rhesus
factor.
Chest X-Ray and Dental Care.
All expectant mothers are invited to attend hospital for a chest X-ray, and there is a special dental
service for them at the clinics.
Mothercraft and Relaxation Classes.
Mothercraft classes are held on one afternoon a week and conducted by the Health Visitors at main
clinics.
The Assistant Medical Officers, Health Visitors and Midwives give health talks, followed by discussion
over a cup of tea. In addition, at one clinic instruction in knitting, cutting-out, and sewing, is given
by the Health Visitor in charge of the mothercraft class, and at another clinic a fathercraft class is held once
a term.
A Mothers' Club is also held at one of the clinics on one afternoon a week. The mothers form their
own committee and run the club themselves with guidance given by a Health Visitor. They arrange interesting
programmes of lectures given by outside speakers, including: "Family Welfare", "Home Safety" and
"Simple Dressmaking".
Ante-natal relaxation classes are held on two afternoons a week by the Physiotherapist at the Orthopaedic
Department at Stonebridge Health Clinic. These are well attended. For mothers who do not attend
the relaxation classes, leaflets describing simple exercises are available at the clinics.
Post-Natal Care.
Mothers are encouraged to attend for a post-natal examination six weeks after confinement, and where
this has not already been arranged by the hospital or General Practitioner, an appointment is given by a
Health Visitor or a Midwife for the mother to attend at the clinic.