View report page

11
AMBU1ANCES.
The arrangements for ambulances to convey infectious
disease cases remained unchanged during the year, while the
only alteration with regard to the civil ambulance service was
that the ambulance undertaking the conveyance of the majority of
accident cases was again staffed by the Fire Service, the two
remaining civil ambulances continuing to be controlled by the
Medical Officer of Health and staffed by First Aid personnel.
The service rendered to the Public by these ambulances was
maintained almost uninterruptedly throughout the year in spite
of difficulties, and was in fact in certain respects improved
upon through the co-operation of the First Aid Service.
HOSPITALS.
The infectious disease hospitals remained as in
previous years and provided adequate accommodation. The
general and county hospitals enlarged under the Emergency
Hospital Scheme also proved adequate to the local demand.
Sufficient maternity accommodation was provided at Purley and
Redhill County Hospitals for cases desiring admission under
the Council's Scheme.
BACTERIOLOGICAL WORK AND DISINFECTION.
No alterations were made in these branches of the
service.
HEALTH PROPAGANDA was continued through the Health Visitors,
and some use was made of contact with the A.R.P. Services
and public shelters for disseminating information.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
ANTE-NATAL CLINICS. These were continued as before the War
and 207 new cases attended at the 70 sessions held. While the
number of cases was 41 less than in 1938, the proportion of the
total births was the same, namely one third. Arrangements
for the provision of dental treatment, home helps, sterilised
dressings, etc., were continued as previously, as was also the
free milk scheme for necessitous cases until largely
superseded by the Government Scheme.
POST NATAL CLINIC. This was held as in 1939 but in practice,
as ante and post-natal cases attend all sessions
indiscriminately irrespective of the name of the clinic, there
would appear to be no useful purpose served by preserving this
name for one session a month. All clinics might be better
described as Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Clinics or simply
Maternity Clinics.
The diminution in post-natal attendances at all
centres during 1940 was more marked than in the case of the
ante-natal visits possibly due to more mothers leaving the
District after their babies were born than before that time,
while the frequency of day raiding during the second half of
the year probably had some influence.
EMERGENCY UNIT. The services of this unit were not required
during the year.
OBSTETRICAL SPECIALISTS. The specialists available were the
same as in recent years and one of them was called in on five
occasions, operating subsequently on one case. The decision
not to attempt to recover fees for these services from the
patients, originally made in September, 1938, was continued
throughout 1940.