View report page

1965, the number of pupil midwives attached to midwives in the Borough was 10.
During the nine months under review, eighteen pupils completed three months'
district training: 120 notifications of intention to practice as midwives were received.
Premature Baby Units and Emergency Obstetric Unit.
When the premature baby unit or the emergency obstetric unit is required, the
doctor or midwife telephones the ambulance service (or asks a third person to
telephone giving that person the yellow premature baby unit or the white emergency
obstetric unit card, and stating the nature of the emergency). The Ambulance
Service alerts the unit concerned at the appropriate hospital and sends an ambulance
to pick up the unit and take it to the patient's home. The ambulance stands by at
the home to take the mother and/or baby to hospital if necessary and will also
return the unit to its base.
The admission of the mother and/or baby to hospital is arranged by the doctor,
or in emergency by the midwife, by approaching any hospital in the catchment area
in which the patient lives, as the ordering out of a unit does not automatically
reserve a bed in the hospital for the mother and/or baby.
Maternal Deaths.
Of the four maternal deaths occurring within the Borough during 1965, two
were investigated for the Ministry of Health's Confidential Enquiry into Death
Associated with Pregnancy, Childbirth or Abortion. Death in one of these cases
occurred during the tenth month after delivery. In the second case, death occurred
in hospital following an operation. Neither case was dealt with by the domiciliary
midwifery service.
The remaining two cases died in hospitals situated within the Borough but the
residences were in other Boroughs.
Health Visiting
The number of health visitors transferred on 1st April, 1965 was insufficient to
cover all the calls on this service.
In addition to the work indicated by the statistics given below, the health
visitors assisted in various research projects, coped with the more comprehensive
observation and handicapped register, arranged health education projects and gave
talks at welfare centres. In conjunction with specialist workers, much work was
carried out with over 200 problem families. Health visitors also called on families
with children, under five years of age, in welfare establishments.
Health visitors are the link between school nursing sisters and the homes of
school children when health or social matters call for advice to parents.
The close liaison with general practitioners continued; arrangements were made
for the services of health visitors to be made available for "well baby" clinics run
by three group practices.
Six health visitors were trained as field work instructors to fulfil the requirements
of the new training syllabus for student health visitors.
The number and variety of students who visited the clinics to observe the health
visitors at work steadily increased. This has assisted the recruitment of staff.
53