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
Paddington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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33
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The staff engaged in maternity and child welfare work consists of an Assistant Medical Officer
for Maternity and Child Welfare, a Superintendent Health Visitor, 12 whole-time Health Visitors,
one of whom a'so acts as Child Protection Visitor and one as Maternity Almoner, 6 part-time Visiting
Medical Officers (one of whom acts as Dental Anaesthetist), 1 Visiting Dental Officer, 3 part-time
Masseuses, 1 Clerk/Almoner, and 2 full-time and 1 part-time Clerical Assistants.
Health Visitors.
The duties of these officers are:—
(1) To visit the homes of children from birth up to the age of 5 years where considered necessary.
(2) To make enquiries concerning stillbirths and deaths of infants and young children.
(3) To visit and give advice to parents in cases of ophthalmia of the new-born, infective enteritis
and other important diseases.
(4) To investigate all cases of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia.
(5) To attend the maternity and infant consultations at the various Centres.
The home visiting work performed by the Health Visitors during the year is summarised in the appended table:—
| Health Visiting. | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Visits to children under 1 year of age | 1,538 | |
| Revisits „ „ „ | 7,273 | |
| 8,811 | ||
| Visits to children between the ages of 1 and 5 years | 9,513 | |
| First visits to expectant mothers | 1,308 | |
| Revisits „ „ | 965 | |
| 2,273 | ||
| Other Visits— | ||
| Sickness (including Puerperal Fever, Puerperal Pyrexia, Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Infantile Diarrhoea) | 192 | |
| Miscellaneous (including ineffective calls) | 13,580 | |
| 13,772 | ||
The total number of children on the Health Visitors' lists at the close of the year was 4,767,
Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.
The arrangement by which the Paddington School for Mothers provided accommodation for
the various consultations with the aid of voluntary contributions and an annual grant from the
Council was terminated on the 25th June, 1938, from which date the new Welfare Centre at No. 283a,
Harrow Road was brought into use as headquarters and the old premises at No. 232, Harrow Road
given up. The arrangements for the use of the branch centres were continued.
The formal opening of the new centre took place on the 8th December, 1938, when the chair
was taken by His Worship the Mayor (Alderman H. H. Dawes, O.B.E., T.D., J.P.), accompanied by
the Mayoress. The opening ceremony was performed by Lord Dawson of Perm, accompanied by
Viscountess Dawson.
The following is a brief description of the Centres as at present:—
Main Welfare Centre, 283a, Harrow Road.
Ground Floor.—Waiting hall, 2 doctors' rooms, dental surgery and recovery room, light treatment
room, massage room, weighing room and ante-natal waiting room.
First Floor.—Office accommodation for health visiting and clerical staff, and caretaker's quarters.
The building is centrally heated throughout.
Two Infant Consultations weekly.—Tuesday and Thursday, 2.0 p.m. Medical Officer, Dr.
E. R. Emslie.
Area served:—Parts of Church, Harrow Road, Westbourne and Maida Vale Wards.