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Towards the end of 1931 it was considered that there might he an appreciable
amount of overlapping between the Public Assistance Department of the London County
Council through their relief work and the Borough Council's scheme for the supply of milk,
and inquiries showed that in a number of cases grants from the Borough scheme were
made to cases known to be in receipt of relief.
In October, 1931, after careful revision of the situation, the Welfare Centres were
reminded of the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health. These stated, inter alia, that
"milk should be given only where the Medical Officer of Health (or in certain cases the
Medical Officer of the Centre) is satisfied that a supply is essential on the grounds of
health ,"and "it is the first principle of administration that overlapping with
other bodies concerned in the matter should be absolutely avoided."
It appeared to be probable that during recent years the question of health as the sole
basis for a grant of milk had not been adhered to, and that purely financial reasons had
been considered. This financial problem is the province of the Public Assistance Committee
and not the Child AVelfare Authority.
It was, therefore, decided to work the scheme in closer co-operation with the Public
Assistance Officers, and to adhere strictly to the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
The rules are definite. All applications for grants of milk for children and nursing or
expectant mothers as defined above must be based upon the necessity on the grounds of health,
no matter to which authority, London County Council or Borough Council, the case is
referred. Where a family is in receipt of relief, the application should be made by the
Medical Officer of the Welfare or Ante-Natal Centre directly to the Public Assistance Committee
on the forms provided. Where the family is not in receipt of relief, the application
is considered by the Special (Milk) Sub-Committee of the Borough Council. Grants are
made, either free or at half price, in accordance with an approved scale of income. Information
is exchanged between the authorities concerned, and a considerable amount of overlapping has
been abolished.
Further consideration was given to this subject during the year as regards the
provision of extra nourishment to expectant mothers attending the Ante-Natal Clinics of
the London County Council Hospitals.
The following procedure was suggested by the County Council and agreed to by the
Borough Council:—
Women in receipt of relief who attend the County Conncil's ante-natal clinics for
examination and advice prior to confinement in the County Council's Hospitals should
normally come under the sole supervision of the County Council during the ante-natal
period, and, except in any particular case in which special arrangements have been made
with the local maternity and child welfare centre, should not be required to attend the
Borough Council's welfare centres for the purpose of obtaining extra nourishment, as such
attendance would involve divided clinical responsibility. It is accordingly proposed that
in these cases any extra nourishment required during the ante-natal period shall be supplied
as relief in kind from the County Council's clinic. After confinement the nursing mothers
will be referred to the Borough Council's welfare centres, with a view to any extra nourishment
required being supplied through such centres. Recommendations from the welfare
centres in respect of the supply of extra nourishment to nursing mothers (whether or not
the mother has previously attended one of the County Council's clinics) will be dealt with
in the same way as similar recommendations in respect of expectant mothers.