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203
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 1933, 2,194 new cases under 1 year of age, and 1,027
over a year of age attended for the first time; this is a decrease
of 84 in the first class and of 25 in the second class. The total
attendances of babies and infants from 0.5 years increased from
73,136 in 1932 to 77,463 in 1933. Consultations with doctors increased
in numbers from 24,652 to 25,251. Three hundred and five
expectant mothers were seen, a decrease of 29 on 1932, and a total
of 1,211 visits to the centres were paid by them. The total of all
visits to the Centres was 78,674, an increase of 4,169 over 1932.
This is the greatest total yet reached and serves to indicate the
appreciation of the services rendered.
The highest average attendance of mother and babies at each
session was recorded at Lower Addiscombe Road (108.6), West
Croydon (107.8), Municipal (98.7), and Norbury (96.5). 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 Norburv,
Upper Norwood and Shirley, a certain proportion of
mothers attend whose place of residence is outside the Borough.
In order to curtail the numbers, instructions were given
that mothers livingf outside the Borough should not be permitted
to see the doctor or to obtain dried milk, etc., at the centres. Some
of the centres have shown, in consequence, a reduced attendance.