View report page

Meanwhile arrangements will continue, it is hoped, with Queen
Charlotte's Hospital, London, and St. Mary's Hospital, London, which
will take any emergency cases which cannot be accommodated at other
Hospitals.
Improved facilities for transport to all these Hospitals have been
made available by the Council during the year.
There are in addition six private Maternity Homes at present in
the Urban District.
Midwives Acts.
The Surrey County Council are at present the Supervising Authority
under the Midwives Acts. At the end of the year this Council decided
to apply again for these powers. Negotiations also took place with the
Surrey County Council as to the provision of midwives for the District,
this Council representing its willingness to appoint a sufficient number
of full-time midwives for the needs of the District.
Home Helps.
The Council has made arrangements for the supply of Home Helps
in necessitous maternity cases since 1920, and during the year 25 cases
were assisted in this way, which is the same number as in 1935.
Birth Control.
Cases, in which advice on Birth Control is considered desirable on
medical grounds by the Doctors at the Clinics, are referred to the Croydon
Mothers' and Infants' Welfare Association Clinic in Croydon.
Arrangements were made during the year by which this Council
makes an annual grant to this Association, in return for which any
necessitous residents so referred are provided with advice, etc., at
reduced charges.
Health Visitation.
Since May, 1935, the Council has employed the services of three
whole-time Health Visitors, who work under the supervision of the
Medical Officer of Health.
It will be seen from the following detailed list of visits paid by
the Health Visitors during 1936 that a total of 7,695 visits were paid,
this being 970 more than in 1935, and 2,527 more than in 1934 when the
staff consisted of two Health Visitors. It is satisfactory to be able to
report again that adequate home visitation has been possible, in spite
of the fact that additional Maternity and Child Welfare and Ante-natal
sessions have been arranged. With the commencement of immunisation
28