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Council and Surrey County Council during the year. The number of tickets issued to
midwives for attendance at the post-certificate lectures was 428, and 80 tickets for
attendance at the ante-natal and post-natal demonstrations.
Registration
of nursing
homes
There were 108 nursing homes on the register at the end of the year, compared
with 118 at the end of 1944. These numbers include homes closed temporarily
during the war. Of the nursing homes registered at the end of the year, 40 were
temporarily closed.
Maternity
and child
welfare
work of
voluntary
associations
Grants paid to voluntary maternity and child welfare associations during
the year 1945 under section 101 (6) of the Local Government Act, 1929, amounted
to £20,967, compared with £20,806 in 1944. Thirty-two associations were grantaided
during the year, of which 5 were maternity hospitals, 15 mother and baby
homes, 5 baby homes and 7 district midwifery practices. Of these associations, 21
were functioning in London, 9 in the country, and 1 in both London and the country.
One received a grant for upkeep of premises while temporarily closed. During the
year, six associations returned to London from the country.
War circumstances led to an increase in the number of illegitimate births, and the
Ministry of Health in Circular 2866 of October, 1943, requested maternity and child
welfare authorities and the Council to review, and if need be extend, the provision
made for the unmarried mother and the illegitimate child. Meetings were therefore
arranged, under the chairmanship of the Chief Officer of Social Welfare, at which the
moral welfare associations, the borough medical officers of health and the social
welfare and public health departments were represented. These meetings have
continued regularly ever since. The grants from the Borough Councils to the moral
welfare associations have been increased and centralised, institutional accommodation
has been reviewed and steps taken to assist voluntary associations in meeting staff
difficulties in their homes. Further, each borough has independently reviewed its
own arrangements and strengthened its co-operation with its local moral welfare
society. Moreover, the boroughs have arrived at a standardisation of payments to
foster mothers on an improved basis.
Salaries
Committee
(Rushcliffe)
In Circular 32/44, dated 13th March, 1944, the Ministry of Health asked the
Council to make payments on account of the government grant to district nursing
associations, to certain mother and baby homes and to certain baby homes, towards
the cost of applying the recommendations of the Midwives and Nurses Salaries
Committees (Rushcliffe). This request was implemented, with the assistance of the
Central Council for District Nursing in London in the case of the associations; and,
in the year 1945, £6,336 10s. was authorised to be paid to associations for the year
ended 31st March, 1946, and £553 1s. was paid to mother and baby homes and to
baby homes for the years 1943/4 and 1944/5, part of which was on account of Government
grant and part direct assistance from the Council.
Medical examination of staff
The number of references made to the department for medical examination or
advice concerning the health of staff and of members of the civil defence services was
14,900, compared with 15,072 in 1944. In addition 1,658 candidates were examined
for the Ministry of Education scheme for emergency recruitment of teachers.
The sick parade at the Council's hospitals was continued for the civil defence
services, and the numbers involved are not included above, apart from 524
employees of doubtful fitness, who were referred to the Council's examining medical
officer. These references ceased after July, 1945.
Reciprocity has been maintained with provincial medical officers of health
whereby London personnel staying in the provinces and provincial personnel
temporarily resident in London are examined locally. Only 24 patients were so
examined (18 in provinces and 6 in London), but the procedure serves a useful purpose
and is much appreciated.