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46
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
140 births took place in the Clapham Maternity Hospital
during 1917, the parents of the children being resident in the
Borough. The charge made to each patient is from one to two
guineas per week.
Arrangements might be made by the Council with the Clapham
Maternity Hospital, Jefferys Road, Clapham, for the provision of
beds for necessitous cases, but the number of such cases in this
Borough would in all probability be very small.
The estimated cost o.f this should not exceed £200 per
annum.
3.—Home Helps. No provisions respecting this work are
now in operation in this Borough.
The Central Home Help Society is federated with the Association
of Infant Welfare and Maternity Centres at 4, Tavistock
Square, W.C. Its organisation comprises a General Council on
Which all local branches are represented, and an Executive consisting
of members of the medical, nursing, and midwifery professions,
and experts in health and maternity work. The Central
Office organises local branches, and helps with money and advice,
and maintains a uniform standard of training. Branches are only
started in those localities where a Committee can be formed to
provide good supervision, and to collect money for the scheme.
The Central Society grants an equivalent sum to that collected
up to £50 for the first year's working.
Families applying for a home help are assessed according to
their circumstances, but must in no case pay less than the rate
current in the locality. For part time the charge will depend on
the amount of time required—a possible basis is that of 4d. per
hour.
The home helps receive a wage fixed by the local Committee,
generally from 11s. to 13s. per week, with food in the houseswhere
they are working. Where food cannot be provided, the