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MIDWIFERY SERVICE
(Section 23)
It was reported in 1960 that four midwives were recruited to
the service. Unfortunately, early in May three of these resigned.
In addition to this, difficulty has been encountered in obtaining accommodation
for pupil midwives. Consequently, the number in training
in the Area has been reduced from six to four.
These two factors seriously depleted our resources and once
again increased the work of the remaining midwives. The reduction
in the number of pupil midwives is a matter for special regret since
their training helps maintain a consistently high standard in the
domiciliary midwifery service.
The question of increasing the number of midwives is very
pressing and a new concept of the midwife's hours of duty must be
envisaged. The time of the midwife remaining on duty for 24 hours
a day must go for, with the increased pressure of work, fatigue
becomes an increasingly important factor. It is becoming more and
more obvious that a day and night service is required.
During 1961 the number of midwives varied between six to nine
and 842 women were delivered, 14,795 post-natal visits were paid and
there were 160 early discharges from hospital who received 1,439 visits.
Because of the shortage of staff it became necessary to refuse to take
all the early discharges the hospitals wished to send home and the
majority of the 160 mentioned are patients booked for home confinements
and sent to hospital for delivery by the midwife.
There is a large and seemingly increasing number of pregnant
women who moved into the Area almost at term, having made no
prior arrangements for their confinement. These women must be
delivered at home or sent to hospital by their general medical practitioner
through the Emergency Bed Service Scheme. The latter is
often found to be impossible and when there is delay in obtaining a
bed the midwife must undertake the delivery.
In spite of pressure of work the midwives have continued to
attend their ante-natal clinics and also to attend at clinics held by
several general practitioners. These clinics make valuable contact
between doctor, midwife and patient.
A table is given below showing the work for the past year:-
Deliveries attended 842
Visits made 14795
Hospital confinements discharged before 14th day 160
Visits made 1439
Cases in which medical aid was summoned 265
Cases in which gas and air analgesia was administered 402
Cases in which pethidine was administered 510
Cases in which trichloroethylene was administered 380
Cases in which gas and air and trichloroethylene were administered 11
60