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72 Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1938.
available to meet medical practitioners in consultation when they
require a second opinion on a woman who has developed a
complication during the lying in period. This service has been
extended, and a consultant is now available to meet practitioners
as required at any stage during pregnancy, at confinement or in
the lying-in period. The fee paid for each consultation is three
guineas.
During the year the consultant has been called on nine
occasions.
Hospital Treatment for Ante-Natal Women.
The Council has made arrangements with the Board of
Management of the South London Hospital for Women, Clapham
Common, for ante-natal or post-natal cases who require hospital
treatment for the prevention and treatment of any complication
of pregnancy, to be admitted to the hospital, at a charge of
£1 10s. 0d. per week.
One case has been admitted during the year.
Midwives.
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. 45 midwives practise in the
Borough, of whom 14 reside in neighbouring Boroughs.
There are 14 private maternity homes in the Borough, all
of them being carried on by practising midwives.
Midwifery Service.
The Council grants financial assistance to women who have
engaged trained midwives to attend them at their confinements
in their own homes, when 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.