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Also, to the number of domiciliary deliveries in 1968, must be added
the cases attended by the Council's midwives in the General Practitioner Unit
of St. Mary Abbots' Hospital. The Unit accepts only women who are medically
and obstetrically normal and who would probably have been delivered at
home had this accommodation not been available. Thirty-five women were
delivered in the Unit during 1968, bringing the total number of cases
attended by the midwives of the Council and Queen Charlotte's Hospital to
137, as compared with 139 in 1967o The number of planned and unplanned
early discharges from hospital remains about the same as in 1967.
Cases booked
with a doctor
Cases not booked
with a doctor
Council's midwives
Hospital midwives
TOTAL
1968 1967 1968 1967
81 96 5 4
8 19 8 20
89 115 13 24
Planned early
discharges
Unplanned early
discharges
1968 1967 1968 1967
Nursed by Council's
midwives 30 24 31 25
Nursed by Kensington District
Nursing Association 78 76 36 35
Nursed by hospital midwives 6 12 3 3
TOTAL 114 112 70 63
Number of confinements in General
Practitioner Maternity Unit 35 Doctor present 31
Liaison with General Practitioner Obstetricians.
It has been the practice for general practitioner obstetricians and
midwives together to see their own patients at ante-natal sessions held at
the Council's welfare centres. Over the past few years, however, some
doctors have seen their patients at ante-natal clinics held in their own
surgeries, and this has resulted in fewer attendances at the midwives'
clinics. Also in the same cases, the patients have had no contact with the
midwives and, through them, with the other services offered by the Council,
until late in pregnancy.
It was considered, therefore, that, if the Council's midwives could ,
attend the doctors' clinics, there might be much benefit to all concerned.
Midwives and patients would meet much earlier and more frequently, the
doctors would have skilled assistance and the patients would be helped by
continuity of care.
Two general practitioner obstetricians were therefore approached, and
it was agreed that, from January, 1968, two of the Council's midwives
would attend their ante-natal clinics.
This arrangement has continued successfully and, in one case, the
midwife has been able to carry on the clinics alone during the doctor's
holiday, greatly to the satisfaction of the patients who appreciate the
continuing care by the same person.