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68
Refresher
courses
The Council, in conjunction with the County Councils of Middlesex and Surrey,
arranges for the provision annually of two courses, each of six lectures, for all midwives
in these areas who have notified their intention to practise. The lectures are held at the
County Hall, S.E.1, in the early months of the year and distinguished lecturers are
engaged. In all, about 350 midwives attend these lectures each year. For the L.C.C.
midwives attendance is compulsory. In addition, three whole-day intensive courses,
comprising demonstrations at hospitals and other centres are held in the autumn of each
year for domiciliary midwives (including independents) working in London, Middlesex
and Surrey. About 45 midwives and supervisors attend these demonstrations in groups
of about 15. The lectures and demonstrations arranged by the Council under section
17(g) of the Midwives Act do not, however, constitute a complete refresher course as
envisaged by section G of the rules of the Central Midwives Board, which is at present
in abeyance.
Domiciliary midwives attend refresher courses every five years in accordance with
the recommendations of the former Midwives Salaries (Rushcliffe) Committee. The
courses are arranged by the Royal College of Midwives and last a week, the Council
meeting all expenses (except, in the case of courses held out of London, for a contribution
of 15s. by the midwife towards the cost of board residence). Non-medical supervisors
attend in rota a special refresher course for teachers, also arranged by the Royal College
of Midwives and the courses organised by the Association of Supervisors of Midwives.
By these means, midwives are kept abreast of developments in obstetric teaching.
HEALTH VISITING AND NURSING SERVICES
the transfer of the Council's hospitals to the regional hospital boards in July, 1948,
greatly reduced the number of nursing and ancillary staff employed in the public health
department. This was to some extent compensated by the taking over of the maternity
and child welfare and tuberculosis functions and staff of the metropolitan boroughs.
The central and divisional administrative nursing staff of the department, under the
direction of the chief nursing officer, advises on the recruitment, selection and appointment
of nursing and allied staff not only to day and residential establishments administered
by the Health Committee, but to a number of welfare homes and mother-and-baby
homes administered by the Welfare Committee, boarding and special schools by the
Education Committee, and certain children's nurseries and homes administered by the
Children's Committee.
The total nursing and allied staff employed in the public health department at the
end of 1952, was 2,347.
Health visitors, tuberculosis visitors and school nursing sisters

The Council has been handicapped in fulfilling its policy of expanding the functions
of health visitors to cover the whole range of duties envisaged in section 24 of the Act
and in the Ministry's circular 118/47 because of the fact that the health visiting and
school nursing services in London were statutorily separated until 5th July, 1948. A
result of this separation is that the Council has in its employ nearly 300 school nursing