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ANTE AND POST NATAL CLINICS 21
The unified service of hospital and local authority clinics continued.
The Lodge Road premises despite repeated extensions and alterations are
still of insufficient size for non-clinical functions, which so far have been
subordinated to the needs of patients. It became clear that inability to
retain clerical staff leads to annoying increased waiting times for mothers
at busy clinic sessions. Improvements were being sought, but site limitations
imposed insuperable problems.

The numbers attending the Relaxation and Mothercraft classes increased
again in 1971 - Midwives, Health Visitors and Physiotherapists continue to
work together and combine to provide this service. In all 1,458 mothers attended
these classes and made 6,391 attendances.
Midwives Acts 1902 - 51
The number of midwives who notified their intention to practice as
midwives within the Borough (including those in hospitals) and who were
practising at the end of the year was 117. All held the certificate of the
Central Midwives' Board. The Medical Supervisor of Midwives visits midwives
in private practice and nursing homes, and the superintendent
Municipal Midwife carries out these duties for the domiciliary midwives.
Congenital Malformation
The scheme introduced in 1963 continued unchanged, regular returns
being made to the Registrar General. A total of 99 babies with congenital
conditions was notified in 1971.
For details see Appendix, page 95.
PAEDIATRIC ASSESSMENTS
The experiment of a Corporation medical officer attending the hospital
maternity unit to examine new bom infants was established as a permanent
scheme. The Regional Hospital Board agreed to give the Senior Medical
Officer concerned, a contract for three sessions a week, reimbursing her
salary to the Corporation. She dealt with 1,580 babies during 1971.