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90
Midwifery
Throughout 1967 the mutually helpful liaison with local hospitals
continued.
Regular monthly meetings attended by health visitors, midwives,
local authority doctors, and hospital medical and nursing staff,
continued at the British Hospital where interesting cases were
discussed and explained by the hospital's medical staff. Local
authority staff undertake the organisation of this meeting every
fourth month, when they talk about the work of all sections of the
Health and Welfare Department and give progress reports on handicapped
and potentially handicapped children who are born in the
British Hospital. This type of meeting is particulary appreciated
by hospital staff who must sometimes feel frustrated at the various
forms they are asked to complete and may query the value of this
additional paper-work. It is rewarding for them to understand the
reason for the local authority seeking an increasing amount of
information and they are able to see this in the context of the
individual child and family who require more than the usual observation
and care.
Clinic services were maintained for 34 General Practitioner
Obstetricians to examine their domiciliary cases with midwives in
attendance. Appointment systems were in operation and every
mother booking at a clinic had a full physical examination and
blood investigation. Facilities are provided by the Devonport
Laboratory at Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital for the blood
specimens to be examined. An additional service was offered to
ante-natal mothers during the year in the arrangements made for
the microscopical and special chemical examination of urine
specimens from every woman attending Ante-natal Clinics. This
test is a further preventive measure in the detection of symptomless
urinary infection which is much more prevalent than has been
realised and which, without treatment, may progress to chronic
renal disease in later life.
Post-natal examinations were offered to all mothers six weeks
after delivery but, as in previous years, the response remains very
disappointing. Some mothers did attend their own doctor's surgery
for the examination, but only 584 were recorded as having attended
local authority post-natal clinics during 1967.
Practising Midwives
Notifications of intention to practise as midwives in the London
Borough of Greenwich during 1967 were received from 141 persons,
in accordance with the Midwives Act, 1951. Of these 120 were in
respect of hospital midwives, 1 was in private practice and the