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72
ment, the Borough Council have formed a Panel of Obstetric
Consultants to advise Practitioners in any emergency which may
arise during the ante-natal period, the confinement or post-natal
period.
Post-natal Clinics.—Special post-natal clinics are provided by
the three hospitals and any abnormality can be efficiently dealt with.
Midwivts Act, 1936.—As the Committee are aware this Act
provides for the institution of a salaried midwives' service by the
Local Supervising Authority (the London County Council), and
the position created when the London County Council Scheme is
formulated cannot be accurately forecast.
It will be seen, therefore, that the Maternity Services in the
Borough of Finsbury are very complete at the present time.
It might be appropriate to deal briefly with the recommendations
made in the Report on Maternity Mortality already referred to.
An adequate service of obstetric consultants has been established
by the Borough Council for dealing with cases coming within
the Midwifery Scheme and for general medical practitioners. The
consultants are available in the ante-natal period, at the time of
confinement and during the puerperium. Very few confinements
are conducted by general medical practitioners in the Borough,
but consultations both ante-natal and post-natal in the home
(rather than at special consultative clinics) can be arranged at
any time.
The clinics provided by the three Hospitals are in fact
consultation clinics, being staffed by obstetric specialists. Cases
of puerperal sepsis arising are usually sent to the Special Unit
provided at the North-Western Hospital. In-patient treatment
for ordinary cases or complicated cases, is provided at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, the City of London Maternity Hospital, and the
Royal Northern Hospital.
Emergency Units ("Flying Squads").—The question of the
provision of Emergency Units as suggested in the Report should
be considered by the three Hospitals and the opinion of the Medical
Committees should be sought.