London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1950

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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63
The reduction in the number of claims received in 1950 is attributed partly tc
the fall of 4.8 per cent. in the birth-rate for London and also to the effect of the
maternity medical services provided under the National Health Service Act, 1946.
Maternity
medical
service

Table: doctors during the year 1950 for maternity medical services. The figures quoted do not represent the total number of cases attended during the year as there is no time limit for the submission of claims for fees on maternity medical services and some claims were therefore received too late for inclusion in these figures.

doctors during the year 1950 for maternity medical services. The figures quoted do not represent the total number of cases attended during the year as there is no time limit for the submission of claims for fees on maternity medical services and some claims were therefore received too late for inclusion in these figures.

Service providedQuarterClaims from General Practitioner ObstetriciansClaims from General Medical PractitionersTotals
194919501949195019491950
FullMarch48267189100571771
June4285737393501666
September5826497292654741
December99058751731,041660
2,4822,4802853582,7672,838
PartialMarch203513201305404818
June500670243322743992
September7007562593669591,122
December7454064482271,193633
2,1482,3451,1511,2203,2993,565
EmergencyMarch531119650
June14172221639
September2420262626
December45175105027
8885105798142

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Full maternity medical service, for which a fee of £7 7s. Od. is paid to general
practitioner obstetricians or £5 5s. Od. to other medical practitioners, entails the
carrying-out of two ante-natal examinations, attendance at the confinement if
necessary and availability for emergencies, together with the care of mother and
child for fourteen days after confinement and a post-natal examination of the
mother at about six weeks after the birth. Payment is also made, according to
approved rates, for partial services, i.e., when the full maternity medical service is
not given. The London Executive Council also pay for attendances by medical
practitioners in emergency on unbooked maternity patients, where the practitioner
is not called in by a midwife.
HEALTH VISITING
Greater fluidity between health visiting, tuberculosis visiting and school nursing
staffs has enabled the health visitor to give more time to problems which concern the
family as a whole and is a step further in the direction of her wider duties as envisaged
in section 24 of the National Health Service Act, 1946. She plays a large part in the
various services referred to in detail elsewhere in this report, viz., maternity and
child welfare centres (page 46), educational and advisory sessions (page 48) infant,