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Hospital Board in accordance with the National Health Service Act.
The number of beds is now 30.
The Home—
1. Gives ante-natal care for those women who require rest or
treatment.
2. Cares for them during confinement.
3. Co-operates with the domiciliary midwives who take nurses from
the Home as pupils to confinements on the district.
4. Trains nurses in midwifery so that they can get the midwives*
certificate.
Women wishing to be confined at the Alexandra Maternity Home
attend one of the Council's ante-natal clinics, and a card with the patient's
history, blood group etc. is sent to the Home.
Visiting staff:—Mr. J. M. Scott, O.B.E., T.D.,
Whittington Hospital, Archway Group.
Dr. G. D. S. Briggs.
Dr. D. M. Wilkins.
Matron:— Miss G. M. Howell
1956 1955 1954
Admissions 702 640 640
Live Births 659 599 611
Delivered by Doctors 8 11 11
Emergencies during Labour 19
Transferred to St. Mary's 10
Still Births 2 4 6
Infant Deaths . 3
Infants completely breast fed 581 509 545
Health Education and Parentcraft
The teaching of positive health is the full-time occupation of every
health visitor wherever her duties take her, particularly in homes, clinics,
schools and to a smaller extent in a voluntary capacity in giving evening
talks and lectures to organisations outside the health service.
Her work is more than the teaching of the prevention of disease such
as the popularising of prophylactic measures to combat ill-health. It is
the day to day help and advice given to promote mental and bodily
health, the prevention of deterioration of families and the working out
of family management and difficulties.
Education for health is one of the most important of the personal
health services and is concerned with individuals of all ages and types.
It commences with advice and guidance to the expectant mother and the
mother of a new baby. It continues through childhood until the child
enters school and comes within the purview of the school health services
with routine examinations and follow-up home visits for defects and
general care. The continuity of the pattern of her work with these groups,
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