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193
The Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics.
There are 16 Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, 15 of
which are conducted by the Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare
Association, and 1 by the Local authority. A total of 19 sessions
per week are held and at all of these a doctor and a nurse on the
staff of the health department, attend.
During 1931, 2,217 new cases under 1 year of age, and 895 over
a year of age attended for the first time ; this is an increase of 69
in the first class and of 187 in the second class. The total attendances
of babies and infants from 0-5 years increased from 62,299
in 1930 to 67,783 in 1931. Consultations with doctors increased
in numbers from 21,697 to 23,068. Three hundred and ninety-eight
expectant mothers were seen, a decrease of 133 on 1930, and a total
of 1,436 visits to the centres were paid by them. The total of all
visits to the Centres was 69,219, an increase of 5,268 over 1930.
This is the greatest total yet reached and serves to indicate the
appreciation of the services being rendered.
The increase in the number of first attendances of infants over
one year of age will be noticed.
The highest average attendance of mother and babies at each
session was recorded at Norbury (98.0), West Croydon (88.2),
South Norwood (87.0), and Municipal (82.7). Such large numbers,
although indicating an appreciation on the part of the mothers,
throw a great strain on the organisation of the centres. It is impossible
for the doctor to devote as much time as is desirable to
individual cases, whilst the nurse cannot talk to each mother at the
length which is sometimes needed. The only remedy is a multiplication
either of the number of sessions at each clinic, or an increase
in the number of clinics.
The foundation of new centres has not, however, had any
appreciable effect, in the past, on the attendances at older centres.
At some of the centres, situated on the borders of the town, such
as Norbury, Upper Norwood and Shirley, a certain proportion of
mothers attend from outside the Borough.