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4. CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Mothers and young children constitute a priority group of the community for which
the local health authority provides a comprehensive service of medical and social
care, the extent of which, under the National Health Service Act, 1946, is as follows:—
Section
1. The provision of health clinics in which ante-natal, post-
natal and child welfare sessions are held
2. The provision of day nurseries 22
3. The care of the unsupported mother and her child
4. The provision of family planning facilities
5. A domiciliary midwifery service 23
6. A health visiting service 24
7. Vaccination and immunisation 26
8. The provision of cervical cytology 28
9. Home help service 29
and, in addition, under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948,
the registration of private day nurseries and child minders.
It is these services which over the years have done so much in reducing the infant
and maternal mortality rate from the high level of half a century ago. The need
for even further improvement remains. Details of the services are contained in their
individual sections.
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