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129
Midwifery
Again it is pleasing to report that, throughout the year, the
mutually useful liaison between the Borough and the local hospitals
continued and, in this respect, the staff particularly appreciated
their monthly meeting with colleagues at the British
Hospital for Mothers and Babies.
From September of the current year plans for a Midwives
Liaison Scheme, drawn up during 1970 for Council midwives to
attend confinements in the Greenwich District Hospital, were
put into operation. After an induction course of one week and
under the general supervision of a Consultant Obstetrician, 3
midwives began attending hospital confinements in respect of
mothers booked for planned 48-hour discharges.
Clinic services were maintained for General Practitioner
Obstetricians but, with a continuing reduction in the number of
home confinements, the decline in the use of these facilities by
the doctors persists.
A substantial fall from 605 to 58 in attendances for post-natal
examinations during 1971 merely indicates the accelerating rate
at which confinements are being hospital orientated.
Practising Midwives
In accordance with the Midwives Act, 1951, notifications of
intention to practise as midwives in the London Borough of
Greenwich during 1971 were received from 112 trained staff.
Of these, 97 were in respect of hospital midwives and the
remainder, i.e. 15, were from those engaged in the Council's
service.
Domiciliary Services
The Borough has 7 full-time and 4 part-time midwives operating
within its area.
During 1971 there were 362 home confinements. In addition
there were 36 mothers booked for home confinements, but transferred
to hospital due to complications, and 394 patients were
discharged from hospital after 48 hours or more.
Domiciliary confinements during the year fell by 13.8% to a
total of 362 and the number of mothers discharged home early
after hospital confinement increased by 20 to a figure of 394. of
which 203 were booked discharges.