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

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Acton 1936

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]

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79
Owing to the increase of population in West Middlesex the maternity
accommodation at the disposal of the County Council became overtaxed,
and it soon became obvious that our scheme was in danger.
The appointment of a lady almoner was the beginning of the end.
The duties of the almoner were, of course, to select the cases for
The appointment of a lady almoner was the beginning of the end.
admission, and in view of the pressure it was natural that those
whose home conditions were satisfactory would be refused when the
accommodation was limited. As our scheme was primarily conceived
for non-necessitous cases we frequently accepted cases where
the accommodation at the home might be considered suitable for
the confinement, and these cases were refused by the lady almoner.
There were other factors which operated. On the 1st April, 1936,
the County Council's general hospitals were appropriated under
the Public Health Acts, and the chief reason for the existence of the
agreement disappeared. The County Council held the view that it
was inequitable that those District Councils which bad subscribed
to the Agreements should continue to be financially liable for the cost
of maintenance of cases from their area, whilst at the same time
through the General County Rate contributing their quota to the cost
of the County Council's maternity beds as a whole.
In June, 1936, the Agreement practically came to an end
although no formal notice was given by either side of its termination.
The Central Middlesex County Hospital still receives cases from
Acton, but not under a scheme of the local Council.
Day Nursery.
The Nursery is situated in Bollo Bridge Road, and is open
on five days a week.
The Nursery was open on 212 occasions, and 5,250 wholeday
attendances were made.
Child Welfare Centres.
Eight sessions are held weekly-4 in Avenue Road, 2 in
Steele Road Mission, and 1 each at John Perryn School and St.
Gabriel's Hall.
Nurse Children.
At the end of the year 1935, there were 39 children and at
the end of the year 1936, there were 39 children on the register.