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The existing housing situation and the difficulty in securing
adequate help in the home undoubtedly contributed to the high
percentage of institutional births in recent years.
During 1946 the County midwives attended 266 cases as
Midwives and 7 as Maternity Nurses.
Home Helps.
The Council is empowered to engage suitable women to assist
in the housekeeping and domestic work of homes where the mother
is confined in her own home; in certain cases the Council pays all or
part of the fees for this attendance.
A total of 161 applications were recorded for enquiry, many
more were refused because it was impossible to get sufficient women
to undertake domestic work. Advertisements and posters were
used to get staff and the engagement of full-time "Helpers" was
found to be unsatisfactory because it was difficult to use the afternoons.
Help was given in 57 confinement cases and 15 cases of
illness for from 6—18 hours a week for 2—4 weeks according to the
need.
It is evident that there is a real need for this service, but it is
difficult to organise and in many cases the applicant only " wants
someone ,to do the rough work." This is not the function of the
" Home Help "—her job is to keep the home running whilst the
mother is unfit, to do essential work, shopping and sometimes
cooking.
It is an important job—well worth doing—and every woman
who does this work can be assured of the satisfaction which comes
from giving help in cases where it is urgently needed.
3. SUPERVISION OF MOTHERS AND INFANTS.
(a) Post-Natal Clinics.
Arrangements are made for the examination of mothers after
their confinements. These examinations are carried out by the
medical practitioners on the panel or by the Assistant Medical
Officer, as the case may be.
During 1946, 182 of these examinations were carried out.
In addition, all mothers who engaged midwives for their
confinements are invited to attend the Obstetric Consultant's
Clinic for final examination and the correction of any abnormality
caused by pregnancy and childbirth.
(b) Nursing Mothers and Infants.
Supervision is carried out at the Infant Welfare Centres and
by visits to the homes made by the Health Visitors.
There are seven Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough and
during the year nine sessions were held each week. A Medical Officer
attended each centre weekly. The situations and other particulars
of the centres appear in the Table of Local Clinic Services.
The work of the Centres is summarised in the following table
which shows that the attendances have again reached the 30,000
figure.
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