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54
PART 4
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
These services are provided by the Council, in its capacity of
local health authority, under those sections of the National Health
Service Acts designed to safeguard the health of the individual
and to provide care and attention should ill-health occur. A large
part of the service is concentrated on expectant and nursing mothers
and young children, as pregnancy and early childhood are vital
stages in the health and development of the child and the adult.
This aspect of the work, as advances in medical and social care
have progressed, is admittedly relatively less important as was
formerly the case, and the family as a whole—rather than the
individual or any single age-group—has come to be regarded as
the health " unit". Nevertheless for the purposes of this report it
is convenient to divide these services into those for mothers and
young children and those which we may term " other services
To some extent, of course, the two categories overlap and many
services described under " other personal health services" are
available to mothers and young children.
SERVICES FOR MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Ante-natal and post-natal care
The decrease in the number of home confinements continued—
727 as against 927 in 1966—and correspondingly fewer attendances
at ante-natal clinics. There was continued co-operation with
general practitioners; midwives attend sessions in two surgeries
and one doctor attends a session in one of the Council's clinics.
Some hospital maternity units recommend suitable patients to
attend relaxation classes at our clinics and close liaison is maintained
with all the maternity units serving the area.
Sessions held during the year 542
First attendances of mothers 2,589
Total attendances of mothers 5,370