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At the Barking Emergency Hospital 271 expectant
mothers spent a total of 1,955 bed days. In addition,
the Barking Hospital has been used in other ways ;
there were 133 gynaecological, 3 miscarriage, 7 postmiscarriage,
5 abortion, 2 post-hydatidiform mole
and 33 post-confinement cases, a total of 183 who
spent 2,332 bed days. 21 babies were admitted with
their mothers, included in the post-confinement cases
figure, and there were 5 unaccompanied babies, giving
a total of 27 babies who spent 404 bed days in
hospital.
(d) Evacuation.
Evacuation of expectant mothers in the last month
of pregnancy proceeded in 1943 as in 1942. 172 were
sent to Radlett, and, owing to the limited accommodation
there, 5 were sent to other places in Hertfordshire
and 16 to other reception areas in England.
(e) Home Helps.
1943 saw the inception of a service for the provision
of home helps employed by the Council as casual
workers. In the first place these home helps were
made available only to women who were unable to
make satisfactory arrangements of their own at the
time of their confinement, but towards the end of the
year the scheme was extended to cover households
where such help was required owing to the illness of
an expectant mother, a nursing mother or a child
under the age of five years.
At the end of the year there were three home
helps on the Council's panel and a home help had been
provided in 8 confinement cases.