View report page

25
To the Chairman and Members of the
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to report on the work of the Maternity
and Child Welfare Department for 1944—an ever-expanding
and increasingly important section of public health or
preventive medicine.
The figures relating to the four Centres, the Alexandra
Maternity Home, the War-Time Day Nurseries, the work of the
Domiciliary Midwives and the Health Visitors are given in the
following pages.
The exceptionally large number of births (1,588 in 1944 as
compared with an average of 1,200 in pre-war years), has meant
pressure of work everywhere and some conjestion at the centres.
Measures for the further expansion and improvement of
the service ha\ie received the Committee's attention, e.g.
(1)—Extension of the Town Hall Centre in accordance with
plans now being prepared by the Borough Engineer.
(2)—Completion of the work of adaptation of Burgoyne
Hall, Harringay, by conversion of the present air-raid shelter
into a doctor's room and waiting room; also the provision of
a new front elevation.
(3)—Better premises for the Highgate Centre. No
suitable building or site has been found so far.
(4)—Adaptation of the Electricity Showrooms, Fortis
Green, to take the place of the small, out of the way, and
entirely inadequate Centre at Coldfall Avenue. This work was
in progress—indeed, nearing completion—when the buildings
and adaptations were severely damagad by enemy action.
Bomb damage has been repaired so far as the original building
is concerned. The alterations and adaptations for the Maternity
and Child Welfare work involve very little in the way of labour
or materials.
(5)—The establishment of a new Centre in Central Hornsey
—at " Stonecroft," 100, Priory Road, or at " Ladywell," Church
Lane. The latter is the more central and convenient site.
Temporary buildings in the grounds of "Ladywell" would meet
thj immediate needs.
(6)—The establishment of a new Centre to serve the Stroud
Green—Finsbury Park area of the Borough. Here again,
temporary or prefabricated buildings on a blitzed site would
serve until a permanent centre is provided as an integral part
of the housing development.
(7)—The provision of additional beds at the Alexandra
Maternity Home, Muswell Hill, N.10, which cannot cope with
the number of mothers making application for admission. In
view of the prospective high birth rate in 1945, as estimated by
the exceptional numbers of expectant mothers now attending the
ante-natal clinics, this matter is urgent.
(8)—The appointment of an additional Health Visitor.
Items 4 and 7 are the most urgent requirements and it is
hoped that, in spite of the difficulties of the times in regard to
building labour and materials, they may be started forthwith
and completed within a few months.