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education. Some of the midwives also share in this work and apparatus for inhalational
analgesia is supplied to centres on request for demonstration to mothers. Classes for
relaxation exercises are held by health visitors or midwives and in some centres by a
physiotherapist. An increasing number of midwives now attend the surgeries of
general practitioners and, through the interchange of records and by personal contact,
the fullest co-operation is maintained with general practitioners giving maternity
medical services.
Midwives attend mothers for 14 days after confinement or longer when there are
special reasons for doing so. In these instances the health visitor is notified to prevent
duplication of visiting. Midwives' duties have been extended in the last year to include
responsibility to see that mothers accept post-natal examinations either at the centres
or at the general practitioner obstetricians' surgeries. Follow-up visits are paid when
mothers fail to attend. In some parts of the county midwives undertake home visits to
determine whether a hospital bed is necessary on social grounds.
Accommodation
for
midwives
During the year, the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council reached an agreement
(published in N.M.C. Circular No. 50), introducing, with effect from 1st April, 1955,
revised charges for accommodation provided by the employing authorities for
domiciliary midwives. The charge for unfurnished accommodation, inclusive of rates,
was to be an amount not exceeding £52 a year provided that, in any case where the
full economic rent, including rates, was less than £52, the charge should not exceed
that rent. Subject to that proviso, the charge to be made up to the maximum should
be at the discretion of the employing authority. London weighting (maximum £30 a
year) should continue to be withheld from persons paying such a charge.
It was further provided that a midwife occupying service accommodation who had
dependent relatives or a housekeeper living with her should be treated as if she were
living alone. Where the relatives living with the midwife were not dependent, a higher
charge could be made up to the maximum of the full economic rent, including rates.
Employing authorities could, at their discretion, treat as dependent relatives persons
of other degrees of relationship.
The Council accepted generally the recommendations of the Whitley Council but
decided that the charge for unfurnished accommodation should not exceed £48 a year.
A maximum charge of £25 a year was fixed for each person other than dependent
relatives or persons treated as dependent relatives living with the midwife.
Analgesia
Apparatus tor the administration of 'Trilene' was supplied to 10 midwives who had
cars. 'Minnitt' apparatus for the administration of gas and air was also available to all
midwives and was delivered to patients' homes by the ambulance service. The use of
'Trilene' in 3 per cent, of cases during six months has proved satisfactory and apparatus
will be issued to all midwives in the near future so that the selection of inhalational
analgesia will be based on the suitability of the case rather than on availability of
apparatus.