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49
Hospitals.
Municipal.—Particulars of the various hospitals in the City have been
fully outlined in previous reports. One municipal hospital is situated in
the City, viz.that at Sheffield Street controlled by the London County
Council which has accommodation for 52 beds for pregnant women
suffering from venereal disease.
Voluntary.—Westminster is a city of hospitals, no fewer than 14 being
within its borders.
The City Council has by agreement entered into an arrangement with
two hospitals for the admission of certain patients, viz.:—
(а) With St. George's Hospital for the admission and treatment of
maternity patients.
(б) With Westminster Hospital for—
(i) The provision of maternity beds for patients sent through
the Council's maternity and child welfare centres.
(ii) The services of midwives to attend necessitous women in their
own homes.
(iii) The provision of skilled obstetric assistance to medical
practitioners in difficult cases of midwifery occurring in
the patients' own homes.
(iv) The provision of skilled medical assistance to midwives in
difficult cases.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
Midwifery Service.
Trained Midwives for all Confinements.—For women living in the
City who apply through the Council's welfare centres there is a complete
midwifery service. Throughout the greater part of the City the midwives
of Westminster Hospital attend necessitous women on behalf of the Council,
and in the remainder the midwives of the City of Westminster Health
Society practise for the same purpose. The local welfare centres are the
pivots of the scheme in both areas. For those who do not attend the
welfare centres the supply of private midwives is adequate. Certain
other voluntary hospitals, e.g., Middlesex, Charing Cross, General Lying-in,
etc., and the Ormond Home, Chelsea, provide free or at small cost district
midwifery services in the City. The demand for such services is considerably
less than the supply; patients may pick and choose. Such is
the effect of a very low birth rate.