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Road. The days and times of these sessions are set out in tabular
form later in the report, together with average attendances. All
these sessions are staffed by Medical Officers, Midwives and Health
Visitors.
Infant Welfare Centres are held at the same premises as the
Ante-Natal Clinics with the exception of Frizlands Lane and the
addition of King George Hospital Out-Patient Department. Thirteen
weekly sessions are held and two fortnightly sessions. Here
again the average attendances are given in another part of this
report; all the sessions are staffed by Medical Officers and Health
Visitors.
Patients seen at the Ante-Natal Clinics are referred, when
the clinical condition so indicates, to the Consultant Obstetrician
at Oldchurch Hospital who conducts a session for Dagenham cases
only once a fortnight. A Gynæcological Clinic is held once a
month at Becontree Avenue Combined Treatment Centre, one of
the medical staff being in charge of this session.
Three day nurseries are provided and are situate at Chadwell
Heath, Kingsley Hall and Goresbrook Park. Priority is given to
children of mothers who have of necessity to go out to work. The
capacity of these nurseries is far from sufficient to meet the demand
and the waiting list for non-priority cases is very long. The
problem is tackled to some extent by the Daily Guardian Scheme
whereby the local health authority contributes the sum of 4/per
week and the balance is payable by the mother concerned.
When Daily Minders desire to take under their care more than
two children, it is necessary for them to register with the Local
Authority before this is permitted; in these circumstances the
houses of the Daily Minders are visited and on the report obtained
the advice of the Area Medical Officer is tendered to the SubCommittee.
"Deprived" children are now dealt with by officers of the
Children's Department of the County Council. The services of
the Health Visitors are, however, utilised and local investigations
are carried out by officers of this Borough.
Facilities for the convalescence of pre-school children are
arranged and the services of the local branch of the Invalid
Children's Aid Association are made use of when placing these
children.
MIDWIFERY. The total number of whole-time midwives
serving the area is 21, there being one
senior Council Midwife, 11 District Midwives, two employed by
the Salvation Army and seven employed by arrangement with the
Dagenham District Nursing Association, now controlled by the