London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bexley 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]
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(d) Maternity Accommodation
This is provided in the Corporation Maternity Home
(26 beds) and during 1945 the Council made an agreement
with the K.C.C. for payment for Bexley mothers
admitted to the County Hospitals. Accommodation has
become available again in the Memorial Hospital, Woolwich,
and has continued to be available in the British
Hospital for Mothers and Babies, Woolwich, and local
Nursing Homes. A few births occur in the Inner
London Hospitals.
Scheme and expectant mothers were then also evacuated in parties to safer areas for maternity accommodation under the L.C.C. Scheme.
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (e) Ante-natal Clinics. | |||||||
| No. of Sessions (weekly) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Average attendance | 24.0 | 12.0 | 13.7 | 18.4 | 21.3 | 17.0 | 15.0 |
| (f) Post-natal Clinic. | |||||||
| No. of attendances at Maternity Home | 287 | 191 | 238 | 372 | 320 | 312 | 272 |
| No. of Post-natal examinations at other clinics | 10 | 29 | 10 | 19 | 22 | 40 | 112 |
| (g) Home Helps. | |||||||
| No. of applications | 32 | 33 | 28 | 37 | 54 | 64 | 63 |
| No. cancelled or not proceeded with | 18 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 27 | 25 |
| No. of homes attended | 32 | 33 | 28 | 37 | 54 | 37 | 38 |
| No. of attendances (days) | 430 | 402 | 558 | 585 | 668 | 520 | 526 |
This essential service has varied in demand and
supply, depending on air raid conditions and supply of
labour. Supply of labour has always been difficult, but
with Ministry of Health support the service is gradually
being built up.
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