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98
centres in the Borough on the Minister's suggestions, and we have
now received from him the following detailed report on the
matter.
Report of Medical Officer Of Health.
Before considering what alterations and improvements are required to
give full effect to Circular 1550 from the Ministry of Health, it is necessary
to appreciate the present extent of the Lambeth Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme, which consists of eleven centres, each controlled by a voluntary
committee, together with three other centres incorporated with St. Thomas's
Hsopital, and the General Lying-in Hospital.
These fourteen centres are so arranged that no one has to travel more
than ¼ mile from home who wishes to attend the local centre. At ten centres
there are regular ante-natal clinics to attend which no expectant mother
need travel more than ½ mile. At six there are regular dental clinics, and
at three ultra violet light is available.
In addition to these fourteen centres there is the St. Thomas's Babies'
Hostel with 19 cots for children up to five years of age and three beds for
mothers, as well as the Cynthia Mosley Day Nursery, which accommodates
fifty children up to five years of age.
The extent to which the arrangements made by the Council in its maternity
and child welfare scheme are used by toddlers can be judged from the
following:—
(i) Number of Toddlers.
A rough estimate of the toddlers aged 12 months to 5 years residing in
the district based upon the number of births (corrected) in the years 1931
onwards is 15,950, in age groups—
One year Two years Three years Four years
3,950 3,700 4,050 4,250
The number of toddlers under 5 years attending the elementary schools
who are in the medical care of the Local Education Authority, and not
in that of the Maternity and Child Welfare Authority, is 658.
Of the 15,292 toddlers still in the care of the Lambeth Scheme, 5,740
attended the welfare centres in 1935, the number of attendances being
37,005 at the 1,888 sessions held during the year at which toddlers may
attend.
(ii) Medical Staff.
The medical staff is entirely part time, and the number of doctors
employed is 32, who held 1,587 sessions in 1935.
(iii) Health Visiting Staff and Home Visits.
The staff of health visitors employed in the scheme number 4 municipal
and .30 directly employed by the voluntary welfare centres.
From the following table can be observed the particulars of births, home
visits and attendances at the voluntary welfare centres in the Lambeth
scheme during the past six years:—