View report page

MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE
SERVICES.
The Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme includes the
provision of Infant Welfare Centres where medical consultation
sessions are held for the purpose of giving instruction to mothers in
the feeding and management of infants; ante-natal clinics have also
been established at two of these centres for the medical supervision
and instruction of expectant mothers in the hygiene of pregnancy;
home visiting by health visitors; convalescent treatment for
mothers and infants; home nursing services; the supply of milk
to expectant and nursing mothers and children in necessitous
circumstances; consultant services for private medical practitioners
who require assistance in cases of difficulty before, during or after
confinement of a patient; institutional provision for unmarried
mothers, and other ancillary services.
Infant Welfare Centres.
The Borough has been mapped out into ten areas with an
Infant Welfare Centre in each. In seven of the Infant Welfare areas
the work is carried out by voluntary associations, who are responsible
for the Centre premises, the appointment of Medical Officers and
Health Visitors. The Council makes an annual contribution to each
voluntary association under the terms of a scheme made by the
Minister of Health under Section 101 (6) of the Local Government
Act, 1929, such contribution being dependent on a satisfactory
report of the infant welfare service provided by the Association.
The Council also requires to be advised of any changes in the
personnel, and to approve all appointments to the professional staff
at these Centres. The Centres in the remaining three areas are
municipal premises and staffed by the Council.
Unfortunately the majority of these Centres, for various reasons,
are not so situated as to be readily accessible to all the mothers living
in the Centre's district.
In previous Annual Reports I have referred to the unsuitability
of two of the buildings rented by the Council for use as Infant
Welfare Centres and at the time of the preparation of this Report,
efforts are being made to obtain other premises which might
overcome the deficiencies of the existing premises. I am also of
opinion that the premises used by four of the Voluntary Associations
are not ideally planned or constructed for their purpose, and should
be replaced by more suitable buildings.
Ante-Natal Supervision.
Ante-natal consultations are at present held at the Municipal
Infant Welfare Centre, 140, Camberwell Road, and at the Voluntary