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accommodation was difficult to find. The task of rationalising the services, with adequate
premises conveniently placed for the mother and with the health visitors' case loads evenly
spread, has been carried on over the 16 years. The policy of providing fairly large centres,
where there can be a staff of several health visitors working together and complete maternity
and child welfare and health education services provided, has proved successful. New firstclass
centres have been provided—Tulse Hill, Rose McAndrew, Loughborough, Moffat
and John Dixon. These centres have attracted large attendances of mothers and children and
given opportunities for teaching and guidance to mothers that have played a great part in
the improvement of health and welfare of the community.
The development of the ante-natal services in co-operation with the hospitals and general
practitioners has been carried on over the years. The continued shortage of maternity
beds, coupled with a rising birth rate and immigrant population, has led to constant pressure
on hospital admissions. Agreement has finally been reached with the hospitals for them to
have definite catchment areas for which they are responsible for all maternity cases requiring
a hospital bed. Co-operation has also been effected with the general practitioners, many of
whom are using the Council's premises, where, together with the midwives, they see their
own patients booked for home confinement at the ante-natal clinics.
Day nurseries and creches—There has been a gradual decline in the use of day nurseries.
This has followed the policy of providing nursery places only for children of mothers who
are in the priority groups and not for mothers only working to supplement the family income.
The number of day nurseries in 1948 was 16, of which 11 still remain. One new day nursery
(Coral day nursery) has been built to replace one in hutted accommodation. This excellent
building has attracted many visitors, who have appreciated its design and lay-out. The
number of children in the day nurseries would have fallen much further if it had not been
for the large immigrant population in parts of the division, among whom there is a large
proportion of priority cases requiring admission to a day nursery. The nurseries also provide
assistance for the children of problem families and children whose parents are in temporary
or permanent difficulties. The nurseries have played a most valuable part in the prevention
of children being taken into care.
The development of the creche, where children can be left for a short time to allow the
mother to be free at times for shopping, attendance at hospital or other urgent business,
has proved a most popular and valuable service. These creches have been provided at four
welfare centres in the division.
Immunisation—Facilities have been provided at all welfare centres for the complete
immunisation programme to be carried out on all children. A follow-up system has been
arranged for the health visitors to persuade all mothers to have their children immunised.
At most infant welfare clinic sessions material and facilities for immunisation are kept at
hand during the sessions, so that mothers can have their children immunised without having
to attend at a special session. A special evening session for immunisation has been opened
at the Loughborough centre. This has proved a most successful and busy session, which is
attended by many mothers who may be at work or who cannot attend during the day.
During this last year measles vaccine has been introduced and given under controlled
conditions under the direction of the Medical Research Council.
Health education—The work of the doctors and health visitors advising the mothers
individually at clinic sessions, in school and in the homes, is, of course, a major part of
health education in its widest sense. Many other branches of health education, aimed at
teaching all members of the community the rules of healthy living, have also been developed.
Mother clubs have been organised at many clinics, where films, lectures and discussion on
health topics have been held. Health visitors have attended schools to give talks to the
children. Displays on health topics were exhibited in the Brixton shop window for several
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