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Personal Health Services.
The transfer of the above from the London County Council to the new London Boroughs
has entailed a good deal of work. New procedures had to be evolved so that the Services could
be integrated and function efficiently with a minimum of inconvenience to the public. It has
been a period of change and consolidation but, bearing in mind the enormous pressures on all
concerned, the progress made in extending the Services and planning for the future has been
very gratifying.
The pattern for the future appears to lie in the creation of Health Centres as envisaged
in the National Health Service Act, 1946, (Section 21); and reference is made to these, in
connection with the Ten Year Health and Welfare Plan, in the introduction to this Report.
Domiciliary Midwifery.
The Midwifery Service has worked smoothly throughout the year. There has been excellent
co-operation from the duty officers at Hammersmith Town Hall who assist with the night
call rota. A pilot scheme began in August, 1965, to encourage closer liaison between midwives
and family doctors. One of the Council's midwives now attends two ante-natal clinics held in the
surgeries of general practitioner-obstetricians. This scheme has proved so successful that it is
to be extended.
The midwifery staff have taken part in courses held for expectant mothers at Maternity
and Child Welfare Centres, and have undertaken the district training of pupil midwives.
Planned Early Discharge Scheme.
At 1st April, 1965, up to 12 cases a month from Hammersmith Hospital could be received
into W.6. and W.12 postal districts, and up to 4 cases a month from St. Mary Abbotts Hospital
were received into the S.W.6 area.
In September, 1965, the scheme was extended to provide for the discharge of up to 2
patients a month from Princess Beatrice Hospital, up to 2 patients a month from St. Stephen's
Hospital, and up to 6 patients a month from Queen Charlotte's Hospital.
Patients were accepted for discharge on any day of the week instead of from Mondays to
Fridays only, thus improving the facilities offered to patients and their families.
Health Visiting.
In addition to their normal duties and despite shortage of staff, health visitors undertook
extra work in connection with the following studies in which the Borough was asked to take
part:
National Child Development Study.
The purpose of this was to determine the present physical, sociological, and educational
status of the 16,000 children who were the survivors of the 1958 Perinatal Mortality Survey, and
to relate the findings to the existing birth data.
Health Visitors visited the parents of about 50 of these children now living in the Borough,
and from the information obtained completed questionnaires on the development of the children.
The children were then examined by medical officers who completed further questionnaires.
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