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30
Midwives.
There are some 40 to 50 midwives practising in the area, but the
exact number is not known, as they are supervised by the County
Council and are not registered as practising in any sub-divisions
of the county area.
Despite strenuous opposition by the Metropolitan Boroughs
Standing Joint Committee, the Minister of Health adhered to his
decision that the County Council should become the authority
responsible for the domiciliary midwifery service under the Midwives
Act, 1936. There was a considerable and understandable
delay in the launching of the County Council scheme, as this
involved a division of the county district into five areas, and in
area D Lambeth is associated with Battersea, Wandsworth, Southwark
and Bermondsey. Once the Minister's decision was known,
every effort was made to co-operate with the Count}' Council in
linking the domiciliary midwifery scheme with the Lambeth
maternity and child welfare scheme, and when it was launched on
the 1st January, 1938, there was and is now every expectation of
its success. In the appendix will be found a report upon Ministry
of Health circular 1622 upon Maternity Mortality, with which is
bound up the scheme of the County Council for domiciliary midwifery.
Many details still require minor amendment and alteration,
and over others a decision has not yet finally been reached.
Hospitals
The following hospitals are situated within the district and offer
accommodation to the inhabitants as well as to large numbers
domiciled in other areas.
(a) Voluntary.
St. Thomas's Hospital, Albert Embankment, S.E.I, contains
640 beds and large out-patients' departments. A Maternity
and Child Welfare Centre is included in the latter to which
a grant is made by the Council.
King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, S.E.5, contains 384
beds and general and special out-patient departments.