View report page

30
Commencement of Service.
The scheme approved by the Council provided for the appointment
of nine whole-time midwives. On the 1st May eight midwives
took up their duties, the appointment of the ninth midwife being
deferred until experience had been gained of the working of the
scheme. Seven of the midwives appointed had been practising
in the Borough, and the eighth was a midwife from a Birmingham
Hospital who was qualified to act as a teacher of pupil midwives.
Subsequently the ninth midwife was appointed as it was found
necessary to have a relief-midwife to take duty for the other
members of the staff during their absence for any reason.
When the Service came into operation the cases already booked
by the seven midwives with local practices were taken over. The
number of these cases was augmented by the patients of two
midwives who surrendered their certificates on the 30th April.
The Midwifery Service began, therefore, with a fairly full complement
of cases and provision had to be made for the complete
scheme on the first day of its inauguration. With the exception
of their new outdoor uniform, which could not be delivered in time,
the midwives were fully equipped to begin their duties on the
1st May.