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73
to the patient's means, but due regard is paid to all the circumstances
of each case, and any mother who is not satisfied with her assessment
or has any further statement to add, is invited to meet the Ladies'
Sub-Committee and talk it over; where the Committee find any good
reason for doing so, a re-assessment is made. Many mothers prefer
this arrangement to the plan formerly adopted of asking every applicant
to meet the Committee. As soon as the fees are arranged the patient
pays a booking fee of 10s. 6d., and the rest by instalments or as may
be convenient to herself, but all money has to be paid to the Matron
before admission. New patients are always asked to attend at the
Ante-Natal Clinic for the first time on Tuesdays, and the Wednesday
Clinic is reserved for those who have reached the later months of
pregnancy, the aim being to see only a few mothers on that morning
and to avoid keeping any of them waiting any length of time. On
Tuesdays the attendances vary greatly and it is impossible to do the
work properly if too large a number come on one day. On an average
at least twenty minutes is required for each new patient. When there
are many new ones son e must inevitably be kept waiting, and a few
industrious mothers bring their knitting or sewing with them. It is
very desirable that a properly organised sewing club should be arranged
for Tuesday morning, but at present no teacher is available. Lectures
could also be given while the mothers are waiting their turn to see the
doctor, but when the waiting room is full the Health Visitor is so fully
occupied with her clerical work and testing that she has no time to give
health talks. The most useful work is done on a slack morning when
she can teach them more individually; there is certainly scope for one
more worker at this clinic. The following figures show the number of
attendances as compared with the previous year:—
1222 1923
New Cases 311 369
Total attendances 938 1439
Number of sessions 55 98
Comments:—
Dr. Hill's report brings out one or two little criticisms which may
be read "between the lines." Perhaps it may be urged that officials
are always wanting something; but frankly, we do need a good antenatal
centre in the Borough. The doctor's examination room is small
and not too well lit. The mothers' dressing room is not an ideal one.
I wonder whether the Carnegie Trust would care to do for us that
which has been so well done in Shoreditch ?