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112
Midwives Act, 1936.
On 1st September, 1937, the Ministry of Health gave general approval
to the London County Council's scheme for Domiciliary Midwifery
which came into operation on 1st January, 1938. Poplar is one of the
six districts comprising Area "A" (Metropolitan Boroughs of Bethnal Green,
Hackney, Poplar, Shoreditch, Stepney and Stoke Newington). Conferences
were held with Medical Officers of the London County Council
and also Medical Officers of Health of Area "A" with the County Medical
Officer of Health with a view to securing co-operation between the London
County Council and the Borough Council.
The London County Council arranged with a Voluntary Association
(The Nursing Sisters of St. John the Divine) for the carrying out of
midwifery work in the greater part of the Borough. With the coming
into operation of this Scheme, the Maternity Committee and Borough
Council have agreed to the following:—
(a) To discontinue the payment to midwives of compensation for
loss of cases sent into hospital for confinement, upon the advice
of Clinic Medical Officers.
(b) As the fee charged by the London County Council for the
attendance of their midwives included the cost of a sterilised
outfit, the Council agreed to supply sterilised maternity outfits
free to persons who were being attended by midwives of the
Nursing Sisters of St. John the Divine.
(c) To supply sterilised maternity outfits to persons being attended
by independent midwives at cost price, or half cost price,
according to income scale.
(d) To discontinue the part payment of fees to midwives in
necessitous cases.
(e) To arrange with the three Local Nursing Societies for payment
by block grants and the revision of the conditions and cases
which might be nursed so as to include nursing during pregnancy.
(/) Consulting Obstetricians.— Formulation of a panel of
Obstetricians to serve the whole of Area "A" (the Council's
Consulting Obstetricians, Mr. Brews and Mr. Dodds, have
agreed to serve in a wider area).