View report page

70 Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1936.
The supervision of midwives is under the control of the
London County Council, but there is full co-operation between the
midwives and the Health Visitors. 44 midwives practise in the
Borough, of whom 14 reside in neighbouring Boroughs.
There are 21 private maternity homes in the Borough, 16
.of them being carried on by practising midwives.
Midwifery Service.
In April, 1935, the Council decided to grant financial assistance
to women who have engaged trained midwives to attend
them at their confinements in their own homes, when the financial
circumstances are such that they are unable to pay the whole of
the midwife's fee.
Assistance is also granted in paying the fee of a trained
maternity nurse when a doctor has been engaged to conduct the
confinement.
The Council is also prepared to assist in meeting the cost of
providing a Home Help for a confinement.
Every woman applying for assistance is required to submit
a statement giving the details of her family income, and the amount
of assistance to be granted is fixed by a Sub-committee of the
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee. The maximum grants
payable are—
£1 15s. Od. to a midwife conducting a confinement at home.
£1 0s. Od. to a midwife assisting a doctor in a home confinement.
Before assistance is granted, the following conditions must
be complied with :—
1. The home conditions must be suitable for a confinement
to take place there.
2. The midwife must be registered by the Central Mid-
wives Board.