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67
It is difficult to assess at the moment the value of the instruction
given, but I feel confident that these adolescent girls, the potential
mothers of the next generation, will show in full measure a justification
and a return for the efforts made by raising even further
the high standard of mothercraft in this Borough. My only regret
is that practical teaching of this kind, which is so desirable to every
young girl, is only able to be carried out to such a limited extent
in State schools. Day nurseries are an expensive public service,
but by this scheme they are enabled to make some return for their
cost by giving an educational service to the older girls.
One positive result of the scheme which we have observed is
that several girls who have attended these classes have been
inspired to take up nursery nursing as a career and a number have
decided to make sick nursing their ultimate ambition.
WELL WOMAN CLINICS
The problems of the menopause were raised by me as a public
health matter at the Area Health Committee at the beginning of
the year. It was felt that there was a need for clinics for those
women who were finding difficulties with the physiological alterations
that so often occur at this period. After consultation with
the Chairman of the Area Health Committee, who had seen similar
clinics in operation in Canada, I approached the Hospital Management
Committees working in the Ealing area and the Middlesex
Local Medical Committee. The Local Medical Committee unfortunately
took the view that this would encroach on the province of
the general practitioners and they were not therefore prepared to
recommend such arrangements to the medical profession. Under
these circumstances no further progress was possible.
HOME HELP SERVICE
Although the Home Help Service has been in operation to a
limited extent since 1919, when domestic assistance was provided
for mothers during home confinements only, and was extended in
1945 when 40 Home Helps were employed to give assistance in
certain cases of illness, it has increased enormously since the National
Health Service Act came into operation in July, 1948, and can now
be considered a most important part of our social service.
One hundred and fifty Home Helps were employed in Ealing
during 1950, some in a whole time and some in a part-time capacity.
The service is supervised by the Home Help Organiser and
three Assistant Organisers, whose duty it is to visit the cases before
help is given, to allocate the Home Helps, and to make subsequent
visits to ensure that help is still needed and is satisfactory.