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(c) Clinics and Treatment Centres.—The table on pages 21-22 shows the
various out-patient departments under the control of the Local Authority.
(d) Hospitals (Public and Voluntary).—There have been no material changes since
last year, but for reference the report prepared last year is here included, which shows
in tabular form the hospital services available, public and voluntary, for the people of
Barking.
In an important town like Barking, with a large industrial population, the question
of your indebtedness to the local hospitals is bound to arise very forcibly. It seems
to me unsatisfactory to deal with this question piecemeal.
I would recommend that a definite total sum be set apart each year—say £250—
and that this be distributed in proportion to the work done. I would recommend that
no notice be taken whatsoever of Barking patients attending for ordinary out-patient
treatment, but that hospitals who apply for a donation be invited to supply, not necessarily
exact, but approximate, details of the number of in-patients treated, of the number
of bed-days these patients have been in hospital, and of the number of out-patients
in whose case a report has been sent from the consultant to the general practitioner
attending the patient. I believe this information could be abstracted, if absolute accuracy
were not insisted upon, in a few minutes from the records of any hospital.
2. MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
(a) Midwifery.—By agreement, dated January 1st, 1924, with the Plaistow Maternity
Charity, the Council annually subsidise the Charity on any deficit from £300 in respect
of 300 district midwifery cases attended by the Charity, reckoned at the rate of £1
per case. The takings of the Charity for the year ended December 31st, 1933, in respect
of 206 cases, amounted to £217 0s. 6d., leaving a balance due to the Charity from the
Council of £82 19s. 6d.
According to information obtained from the County Medical Officer, at the end
of 1933 there were twelve midwives practising in the district, four of which were employed
by you at your Upney (Maternity) Hospital, two under the Plaistow Maternity
Charity, and six practising privately.
During the year 1933 there were 1,181 maternity cases in the district. 196 of these
were conducted by the Plaistow Maternity Charity, 264 of them were conducted by your
own midwives at Upney Hospital, leaving 721 which were dealt with by medical
practitioners, private midwives or otherwise.