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Maternity and child welfare—Nine new centres have been opened since 1948, some
replacing obsolete buildings and others to provide amenities in areas previously inadequately
served.
Evening sessions for ante-natal, infant welfare, immunisation and family planning have
been opened in various parts of the division for the convenience of mothers employed during
the day and these are well attended. Many immigrants with no knowledge of English present
a serious language difficulty. Apart from the occasional use of interpreters, printed instructions
for the guidance of mothers on all aspects of maternity and child welfare have
been made available in nine different languages.
Owing to the high birth rate and the poor housing conditions in many parts of the area
the demand for hospital confinement greatly exceeds the supply of maternity beds. In order
to obtain as many beds as possible for priority cases, a divisional Bed Booking Bureau was
set up in 1956. This has been successful in obtaining beds for about 50 per cent of the
unbooked ' emergencies
Day nurseries—Five day nurseries have been closed, reducing the number of places from
1,404 to 971, provided in 18 day nurseries. In recent years the daily attendance has been
90 per cent of the approved accommodation and the demand continues to be high.
Private day nurseries and child-minders—In 1948 there were 28 voluntary child-minders
in the division, minding 22 children; these figures have increased to 165 and 134 respectively
in 1964. There are also 21 child-minders registered under the Nurseries and Child-Minders
Regulation Act, 1948, minding 129 children for reward; while 37 registered day nurseries
provide places for 940 children.
One of the major problems today is to counteract the indiscriminate use of unguarded and
inefficient oil heaters used by child-minders. The advice and help given by the Council's
public health inspectorate, who have visited homes upon request, have been invaluable.
Arrangements are being made for Fire Prevention Officers to inspect unsatisfactory conditions
as they come to notice.
Home help service—One of the most outstanding changes in the use of the personal health
services is demonstrated by the work now undertaken by the home helps. Since 1948 the
number of home helps employed has trebled and the households served increased five-fold.
This massive extension of the service is mainly devoted to the care and attention of the
elderly and infirm and the visit of the ' help' becomes a highlight in the recipient's life,
not only for the assistance given but also for the social contact.
Chiropody—In 1948 four sessions a week were provided by the Council, the bulk of the
chiropody work for the elderly being undertaken by the Old People's Welfare Associations.
Because of increasing demand, a large expansion of this service was authorised in 1960.
Recruitment presented a problem but 29 sessions a week, with an average attendance of
seven per session, are now being held at five different centres.
Cleansing scheme—Following a report by the Council's Scientific Adviser on the efficiency
of a shampoo, Lorexane No. 3 containing gannaxene, as a parasiticide, a six-months
experimental use of the preparation was undertaken in the division in January 1959, with
the object of ascertaining whether parents would use the shampoo on themselves and their
children without the need for special home visits to urge them to do so.
The experiment proved that the home use of Lorexane was successful and the reinfestation
of school children was frequently avoided because other members of the family were willing
to use the shampoo. This had the direct effect of markedly reducing the number of attendances
of verminous children to cleansing stations, resulting later in the closure of unwanted
sessions. The trial led in 1960 to the use of this shampoo throughout the county.
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