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MATERNITY AND INFANT WELFARE CONSULTATIONS.
There are 20 Maternity and Infant Welfare Centres. A total
of 28 sessions per week are held and at these a doctor and one,
or, if necessary, two health visitors, attend.
During 1948, 3,831 new cases under 1 year of age and 987
over 1 year of age attended for the first time; the total of attendances
of infants and young children from 0—5 years increased
from 87,653 in 1947 to 94,312 in 1948. Consultations with doctors
increased from 27,115 to 28,810. 56 expectant mothers were seen,
an increase of 29 on 1947, and a total of 216 visits to the Centres
was paid by them. The total of all visits to the.Centres was
94,528, an increase of 6,722 compared with 1947.
The table on page 69 gives detailed figures for the separate
Centres.
The highest average attendance of mothers and babies at
each session was recorded at South Croydon (93.2), Boston Road
(81.6), Norbury (79.8),. St. |ude's Hall (79.1), and St. Andrew's
• 79.0.
Dental Treatment.
Maternity and Child Welfare Patients.
Expectant and nursing mothers and children below school
age requiring dental attention are referred by Medical Officers
attending Ante- and Post-Natal Clinics, and from Infant Welfare
Centres. A substantial number of applications for treatment of
"toddlers" are also received from those in charge of Day
Nurseries and similar institutions.
In the case of confinement taking placee at home reference is
made through the Municipal Midwives Service or by the practitioner
in charge of the patient.
During recent years this side of the dental service has been
considerably expanded and now one dental officer's time is wholly
devoted to Maternity and Child Welfare work. The above
arrangement has done much to reduce the waiting period before
treatment can be commenced.
Since the inauguration of the National Health Service all
those attending ante-natal clinics are automatically referred for a
routine dental examination, unless they are in the habit of visiting
an outside practitioner. Though as yet not all those referred
avail themselves of this opportunity it is felt that this practice is
a good one, and that results should improve as time proceeds.
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