London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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41
The two Voluntary Welfare Centre Committees receive a grant from the Borough
Council, and for the period 1.4.47 to 5.7.48 this was:— £
North Islington Infant Welfare Centre 1,600
West Islington Welfare Centre 105
Ante Natal and Post Natal Clinics.
These are combined clinics, and details for the four Welfare Centres are set out hereunder:—
| North | South | East | West | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of sessions | 185 | 74 | 76 | 78 |
| Total attendances | 2,999 | 1,618 | 1,497 | 1,342 |
| Number of new cases | 469 | 336 | 246 | 694 |
| Child Welfare Clinics. | ||||
| Number of sessions | 256 | 220 | 129 | 156 |
| Total attendances | 11,153 | 10,346 | 6,304 | 6,994 |
| Number of new cases | 740 | 457 | 374 | 444 |
Home Visiting.
| Total | |||
| l. | First Visits, infants under 1 year | 2,344 | (5,595) |
| 2. | Revisits ditto | 7,515 | (15,874) |
| 3. | Visits to children between 1st and 2nd years | 5,912 | (10,116) |
| 4. | Visits to children between 2nd and 5th years | 7,922 | (16,586) |
| 5. | Visits re stillbirths | 45 | (88) |
| 6. | Visits re deaths of infants under 1 year | 22 | (46) |
| 7. | Visits re deaths of children between 1st and 5th years | 3 | (-) |
| 8. | Visits re Ophthalmia Neonatorum | 7 | (37) |
| 9. | Visits re other Infectious Diseases | 34 | (40) |
| 10. | Ante-natal first visits | 1,343 | (2,783) |
| 11. | Ante-natal re-visits | 752 | (1,641) |
| 12. | Post-natal visits | 145 | (152) |
| 13. | Visits re Puerperal Fever cases | 7 | (4) |
| 14. | Visits re Puerperal Pyrexia cases | 19 | (38) |
| 15. | Visits re Home Help and Domestic Help cases | 180 | (419) |
| 16. | Visits re Registration of Daily Guardians | 113 | (84) |
| 17. | Incomplete visits | 3,304 | (5,738) |
| 18. | Ineffective visits | 6,352 | (13,926) |
| 19. | Total number of effective visits | 26,363 | (53,503) |
| 20. | Clinic Sessions attended | 2,641 | (5,493) |
(Figures shown in brackets are for 1947)
Health Visitor Staff.
The Health Visitor establishment was 32, including the four Superintendents
of Welfare Centres. 4 new health visitors were appointed during the year and 2
health visitors resigned. 1 Superintendent and 1 Health Visitor were due to retire
in June and April respectively, but owing to shortage of Health Visitors they agreed
to continue their services, and were transferred to the London County Council on the
appointed day.
There were 2 whole-time and 1 part-time Health Visitor vacancies which were
partly filled by 3 part-time Clinic Nurses engaged on a sessional basis.
Child Life Protection.
The supervision of foster mothers is closely linked with the problem of
illegitimate children and unmarried mothers. The same two Health Visitors
(Mrs. Rennie and Miss Harding) carried out these duties.