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55
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. 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 as "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
With the continued decrease in the number of home confinements
it has been possible to reduce the number of ante-natal
clinics and to concentrate the work into one centre in each area.
This has the advantage of allowing the midwives to work in groups
so that a mother will get to know all the midwives who may be
likely to attend her during confinement.
The midwives work in close co-operation with the general practitioners
and four midwives attend ante-natal clinics in doctors'
surgeries. Two doctors see their own patients in the Council's
ante-natal clinics.
Close liaison is maintained with all maternity units serving the
area and all hospital bookings and discharges are notified to the
Council.
Sessions held during the year 467
First attendances 1,687
Total attendances 4,439
Mothercraft and relaxation classes
The relaxation classes, talks and films for expectant mothers
have been continued. It has not been possible to extend this
service mainly because of a lack of suitable premises. The evening