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CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(Section 22)
Notification of Births
The following table shows the births notified during the year
compared with previous years. The number notified last year was
the highest since 1947 and the percentage of hospital confinements
was 79.2% compared with 79.6% in 1960.
1961 1960 1959
Live Births (a) Domiciliary 853 799 649
(b) Hospital or Nursing Home 3219 3084 2881
Still Births (a) Domiciliary 7 3 4
(b) Hospital or Nursing Home 52 55 49
4131 3941 3583
Ante-natal Clinics
Throughout the year there was much discussion in the press,
on television and at conferences, and even in the House of Commons,
on "Human Relations in Obstetrics" as a result of an outburst of
complaints by women of the way they were treated while having their
babies. There were complaints of long waits at ante-natal clinics,
impersonal treatment and of being left alone when in labour; also of
lack of ordinary respect in the attitude of staff with no consideration
for personal feelings.
The Ministry of Health issued a circular asking local authorities
and hospitals to review their services in the light of these complaints.
At all the ante-natal clinics in this Area an appointment system
exists and efforts are made to reduce waiting time however difficult
it may be to do so. An attempt is also made to give each mother
a chance to voice her anxieties and to answer her queries. All are
invited to ante-natal mothercraft sessions where the health visitor
gives informal talks and demonstrations with opportunity to discuss
any worries and fears that may arise.
The smaller numbers attending local authority clinics as compared
to hospital help to avoid the "conveyor belt" atmosphere of
which patients sometimes complain. Anxiety is more often associated
with arrangements for the confinement and it is necessary to stress
that there has been no improvement in the supply of maternity beds
in the Area though the demand far outstrips supply. Patients who
come late for booking find that the hospitals are already fully reserved
and have either to be in the anxious position of depending on the
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