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additional beds for maternity cases. Each of these three districts
is rapidly growing, and the total population is bordering on
400,000, a figure no doubt to be exceeded by the time additional
beds are available. Owing to the limited accommodation,
admissions were limited to complicated cases or primiparae, but
recently even the latter group have had to be refused. With the
growth of the population in the neighbourhood it does not appear
that the additional beds to be provided at Redhill will go far to
ease the situation, and the provision of further beds is an urgent
necessity. With this object in view neighbouring authorities have
been approached on the question of the erection of a joint institution
to serve the needs of this and other districts.
Consultant Services.
Arrangements are in force by which a consultant is available
to assist general practitioners in necessitous cases in the event of
difficulty occurring during labour.
Puerperal Infections.
Cases are removed either to the London County Council
North-Western Hospital or to the Isolation Block of Queen
Charlotte's Hospital. During the year twelve patients were treated.
Arrangements are in operation by which local medical practitioners
can obtain the services of a consultant in cases of puerperal
infection.
Supervision of Midwives.
Supervision of the midwives in the area is carried out by the
staff of the Middlesex County Council as Local Supervising
Authority. Following their July meeting, the Council made application
to the Minister of Health for an Order constituting the
District Council the Local Supervising Authority under the
Midwives Acts, 1902-26, but as yet the request has not been acceded
to.
Maternity Homes.
There are 18 Nursing and Maternity Homes in the district,
possessing a total of 143 beds. Of these institutions, 14 are devoted
either wholly or partly to the reception of maternity cases.
The supervision of these Homes is carried out by the staff of
the Middlesex County Council. At their meeting in July, 1934,
the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee resolved that
application be made to the Middlesex County Council for delegation
to the District Council of the powers and duties of the County Council
in the District under the Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1927.
The application, however, was not complied with on the grounds
that the County Council is the Local Supervising Authority under
the Midwives Acts.