View report page

November, 1923, saw the opening of the Municipal Maternity
Ward containing six beds and a labour room equipped with all
modern appliances. A good deal of attention was also given to
the question of the areas of the nursing associations operating in
the Borough, and in the early part of 1924 arrangements were
completed with the Rotherhithe District Nursing Association
whereby the Council agreed to pay the sum of 1s. per visit for
services rendered to notified cases of ophthalmia neonatorum,
puerperal septicaemia, pneumonia, malaria and dysentery in
that part of the Borough not covered by the other nursing
associations, viz., part of Wards Nos. 6 and 7.
In the early part of 1925 information was received from the
authorities controlling the Southwark Diocesan Home for Unmarried
Mothers that their institution at 24, De Crespigny Park,
would close down at the 31st March. It was stated that they
proposed to board out their cases in other approved Homes, and
the Council were asked to consider the question of paying grant
for Camberwell cases as they occurred, which was adopted.
At the end of 1925 another Voluntary Infant Welfare Centre
was opened at Amott Road, East Dulwich (a branch Centre of
the Union of Girls' School Centre), for the purpose of meeting
the needs of those who live a considerable distance from the
Centre in Peckham Road. The extension of the scheme during
the past five years includes, therefore, three Municipal Centres,
a Municipal Maternity Ward and another Voluntary Infant Welfare
Centre.
Work of the Infant Welfare Centres.
The infant welfare work in Camberwell is undertaken by
7 Voluntary Centres (6 being subsidised by the Council) and 3
Municipal ones.
A return of the work carried out appears on page 103. It is
worthy of notice that the number of attendances is well maintained,
and the number of visits shows an increase over the
previous year.
Maternity Ward.
This Council entered into an agreement with the Camberwell
Board of Guardians in July, 1923, to provide maternity accommodation,
for cases approved by the Borough Council, for a
period of three years. The agreement in question provided for a
ward containing six beds and a labour room to be set aside in the
St. Giles' Hospital, Brunswick Square, Camberwell.
The ward was ready for the reception of cases in November,
1923. In the following tables will be found a medical review of