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children born in 1967 whose handicaps were not apparent in that year were
added to the register in 1968, The total number on the handicap register
at the end of 1968 was 246 (214).
Scheme for Reporting Congenital Malformations
The Scheme rests on information being sent to the Medical Officer of
Health by the doctor or midwife notifying a birth, as required by Section
203 of the Public Health Acts 1936, of any malformation of the child
observable at birth. The Medical Officer of Health is required to return
to the General Register Office a standard form for every child living
in his area in whose case he has received information of a malformation
observed at birth.
In 1948, 43 (62) cases were notified; of this number 16 (30) were
mild and remediable,, e,g, vestigial digits, or mild talipes, 4(5) died
soon after birth. Details of the remaining cases are as follows:
Still births
Anencephaly 2
Myelomeningocele 1
Mongol Features 1
Live Births
Hydrocephalus 2
Spina Bifida 2
Congenital disease
of the heart 1
Cleft Palate and
Hare Lip 4
Talipes 8
Congenital dislocation
of hips 3
Hypospadias 1
Mongol 1
Abnormalities of Limbs 5
These 27 children are all under
the care of hospitals and their
names are on the Borough's
register of handicapped children.
Domiciliary Midwifery (National Health Service Act; 1946s Section 23)
Under Section 23 of the National Health Service Act} 1946, it is
the duty of every local health authority to provide a domiciliary midwifery
service.
The number of women having home confinements has continued to decline,
but an increasing number of mothers, with the agreement of their doctor
and midwifes are using the PLANNED early discharge schemer under which
mothers return to their own homes under the care of the domiciliary midwife
and family doctor, 48 hours after delivery.
Co-operation of Midwives with General Practitioners
The domiciliary midwives are now conducting all their ante-natal
clinics in co-operation with General Practitioner-Obstetricians. Sessions
are held at the doctors' surgeries, and with two groups of General Practitioner-Obstetricians
at Maternity and Child Health Centres. Patients
who attend these sessions include those booked for delivery in General
Practitioner Units in maternity hospitals, together with those who are
to be nursed at home by the domiciliary midwife under the PLANNED early
discharge scheme. The integration of the work of the domiciliary midwife
C.6.