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36
for whom the period would be extended to cover a total of six
months and such assistance was given in 27 cases. These younger
mothers would normally go to Homes specialising in their care.
Of these younger mothers, their ages at the time they applied
for help were: -
15 years old - 3 cases
16 years old - 7 cases
17 years old - 13 cases
MIDWIFERY SERVICE
This was a busy year for the domiciliary midwives and added
to our difficulties were failures to recruit promptly after
resignations from the service. There was a feeling that the
hours of duty of a domiciliary midwife are unreasonably long,
having regard to other aspects of nursing work, and positive
steps were taken to improve this position. Towards the end of
the year, infection in a local maternity unit necessitated the
policy of early discharge from maternity hospitals and help had
to be given in the home nursing of cases so discharged. As this
continued, the question of part-time maternity nurses to deal
especially with these mothers was being considered.
The usual details of the work carried out by the domiciliary
midwives during 1958 is given in Appendix pages 111-113.
Midwives Acts, 1902-51
The number of Midwives who notified their intention to practise
as midwives or maternity nurses, within the Borough (including
those in hospitals) and who were practising at the end
of the year was 80. All held the certificate of the Central Midwives'
Board. The Medical Supervisor of \fidwives visits midwives
in private practice and nursing homes, and the Superintendent
Municipal Midwife carries out these duties for the domiciliary
midwives.