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2. MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
(a) Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Supervision.
In spite of the evacuation of many expectant mothers, the
number of attendances of ante-natal cases at your clinics amounted to
10,219, an increase of over 1,900 on the figure for the previous year.
The number of post-natal attendances (694) showed an increase of nearly
200 and gynaecological attendances (743) an increase of nearly 400 over
the previous year.
Notwithstanding the fact that patients requiring examination
as post-natal or gynaecological cases can be seen at all the clinics,
we are able to offer special facilities at the Upney Post-Natal Clinic
and we are very glad to be able to say that a very large majority of
these people avail themselves of these facilities and do attend at the
Upney Clinic. Not only is this satisfactory from the present standpoint,
but it shows that the site of the Hospital is a suitable one for
a Central Clinic after the War.
(b) Midwifery.
(i) Supervision. There were eleven midwives practising in
the Borough at the end of the year, six of which were employed at the
Upney Maternity Pavilion.
During the year 1942, midlives sought medical assistance in
108 cases; 23 of -these were on behalf of babies.
(ii) Midlives Act, 1936. 418 mothers were delivered in
Barking under your district midwifery scheme daring the year 1942. In
addition 44 mothers were delivered by doctors with district midwives in
attendance.
(c) Upney Maternity Pavilion (and Barking Emergency Hospital).
At the Upney Maternity Pavilion- during. 1942, patients were
ccnfined, 29 patients were admitted for ante-natal treatment, 4 for
post-natal treatment and there were 3 miscarriages.
At the Barking Emergency Hospital 254 expectant mothers spent
a total of 1,763 bed days. In addition, the Barking Hospital has been
used in other ways; there were 46 gynaecological, 1 abortion, and 66
post-confinement cases, a total of 113 who spent 1,656 bed days.
In addition to the above, arrangements were made for a
midwife fran the Upney Maternity Hospital to attend at the Ilford
Isolation Hospital to deliver a Barking weman who was a patient in
that hospital.
(d) Evacuation.
Evacuation of expectant mothers in the last month of pregnancy
proceeded in 1942 as in 1941. 183 were sent to Radlott, and, owing to
the limited accommodation there, 27 were sent to other places in
Hertfordshire and 22 to other reception areas in England.
(e) Infant Welfare Centres.
The total number of attendances at the Infant Welfare centres
during 1942 was 31,179, canpared with 27,028 in 1941.
(f) Heme Visiting.
The total number of visits paid during 1942 was 17,950, a
decrease when compared with the figure of 18,514 for the year 1941. The
public services you are undertaking and which involve the time of Health
Visitors, account for this decrease in the number of home visits,
particularly, of course, the campaign for immunisation against diphtheria
which was carried out actively during the last two months of the year.
I still look upon home visiting as the back-bone of your Child
Welfare Services and I know that you have this matter not only under
consideration but, at the time of writing this report, in hand.
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