View report page

93
Clinic services were maintained for General Practitioner Obstetricians but, with the reduction in the number of home confinements,
the use of these facilities by the doctors is gradually declining.
Contrary to previous years, the response to the invitation to postnatal examinations was encouraging and the current year's total
of 609 attendances showed a rise of some 23% over the 1968
total of 495.
Practising Midwives
In accordance with the Midwives Act, 1951, notifications of
intention to practise as midwives in the London Borough of Greenwich during 1969 were received from 128 persons. Of these, 113
were in respect of hospital midwives and the remainder, i.e. 15,
were from those engaged in the Council's service and included the
supervisory staff.
Domiciliary Services
The Borough is divided into 9 midwifery areas, each with a fulltime midwife, a further 2 areas having a combined midwife/district
nurse. There is one relief midwife/district nurse.
During 1969 there were 512 home confinements. In addition
there were 65 mothers booked for home confinements, but transferred to hospital due to complications, and 386 patients were
discharged from hospital after 48 hours or more. Home confinements declined and there was a decrease in patients taking
advantage of the "early discharge" scheme (420 during 1968).
Domiciliary confinements during the year fell by 16% to a total
of 512 and the number of mothers discharged home early after
hospital confinement decreased by 8% to 386.