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179
The Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics.
There are 17 Maternity and Child Welfare Centres, 16 of
which are conducted by the Croydon Mothers' and Infants' Welfare
Association, and 1 by the Local authority. A total of 20 sessions
per week are held and at all of these a doctor and a nurse on the
staff of the health department attend.
During 1932, 2/278 new cases under 1 year of age, and 1,052
over a year of age attended for the first time; this is an increase of
(31 in the first class and of 157 in the second class. The total attendances
of babies and infants from 0.5 years increased from 67,783
in 1931 to 73,136 in 1932. Consultations with doctors increased
in numbers from 23,068 to 24,652. Three hundred and thirty four
expectant mothers were seen, a decrease of 64 on 1931, and a total
of 1,369 visits to the centres were paid by them. The total of all
visits to the Centres was 74,505, an increase of 5,286 over 1931.
This is the greatest total yet reached and serves to indicate the
appreciation of the services rendere3.
The highest average attendance of mother and babies at each
session was recorded at Norbury (102.3), West Croydon 98.1),
Lower Addiscombe Boad (97.1), and Municipal (88.0). 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 foundation of new centres has not 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
whose place of residence is outside the Borough.