View report page

These beds are for the greater part open to single as well as to married
women, though some of the nursing homes do not accept the former willingly.
while others, including St. Mary's Hostel, admit only for the first
confinement. The condition in the latter institution is no doubt imposed
by the limited accommodation available, but it should be withdrawn when
opportunity offers. While the above list sets out the number of beds, it
does not follow that they are all satisfactory. An opportunity of investigating
this and of improving the conditions where unsatisfactory will arise under
Part VIII. of the Croydon Corporation Act, 1924 (registration, bye-laws,
inspection, etc., of maternity homes). That the accommodation is insufficient
is shewn by the fact that from 15 to 17 cases have to be refused admission
to St. Mary's Hostel each month, owing to lack of beds.
Seeing that inadequate ante-natal supervision and insufficient hospital
accommodation for the difficult confinement are material factors in the Crovdon
maternal mortality, 1 wish to make the following recommendations
1. Ante-natal Supervision.
(a) Midwives.—A circular letter might properly be addressed to midwives
practising in the borough, pointing out the need of careful and
continued ante-natal supervision, and offering assistance in the following
ways:—
(1) A supply of leaflets for issue to their patients on the subject
of general ante-natal measures and preparation of the home for
the confinement.
(2) Facilities will be provided for the testing of specimens of urine
sent by midwives to the Ante-natal Clinic or to the Town Hall.
(3) An offer to conduct ante-natal supervision at the Ante-natal
Clinic of any patient referred by a midwife, with a view to the
patient returning to the midwife at intervals and for the confinement,
reports on any abnormalities to be sent at once to the
midwife.
(4) An offer to provide a suitable ante-natal register for recording
particulars of the ante-natal care of their patients.
(5) Provision of maternity outfits at cost price. It is understood
that in at least two areas such outfits, consisting of the simplest
essential materials, are provided at a cost of 6/2d. or 3/-, according
to the contents. They could be issued to midwives and to
medical practitioners where required at cost price, and through
Welfare Centres.
(b) Medical Practitioners.
(1) Medical practitioners could similarly be asked to co-operate in
developing the undoubtedly difficult work of ante-natal supervision
of their patients; and facilities could be offered for supervision
at the Ante-natal Clinic of any patients whom they preferred
to refer to the clinic for that purpose. Reports as to any
abnormalities arising would be referred to the practitioner at
once,