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11. MIDWIFERY
In accordance with Section 23 of the National Health Service Act the Council
provides a staff of midwives to undertake home confinements and to care for those
mothers discharged early from hospital. The arrangement whereby this work is
undertaken by the Council's own midwives in Ealing and Southall, and by Queen
Charlotte's Hospital midwives in Acton, continued in 1966.
The Council is also the supervising authority under the Midwives Act, 1951,
and as such is responsible for the supervision of all midwives practising in the
Borough, including those working in hospital.
The Council's midwifery staff consists of a Chief Nursing Officer, (Midwifery
and Home Nursing) her deputy, and the equivalent of 20 full-time midwives. Whilst
working in close collaboration with general practitioners they are based on health
clinics where they hold weekly ante-natal sessions.
10 of the Council's midwives are approved teachers, and are responsible for
the Part II training of pupils from Hillingdon Hospital. During the year 23 pupils were
trained, 3 of whom were subsequently recruited to the Council's staff. I look forward
to the inauguration next year of the Part II Midwifery Training School at Perivale
Maternity Hospital, for which the Council will be responsible for the district training.
This, I am sure, will strengthen the already close liaison with this hospital. The
number of home and hospital confinements in the area of the London Borough of
Ealing over the last few years is as follows:-
Year Domiciliary Hospital Total
1962 1255 4093 5348
1963 1071 4475 5546
1964 1051 4744 5795
1965 942 4728 5670
1966 626 5039 5665
The increase in the proportion of hospital confinements is clearly shown, and
is in conformity with National trends.
The Council has agreed with Perivale Maternity Hospital to provide nursing
care and home help service for mothers discharged from hospital after 48 hours.
Before arrangements are made for a mother to be accepted on this scheme the health
department has to be satisfied that the home conditions are suitable, and that there
will be facilities for sufficient rest on return home. The growth of this service over
the last few years is shown by the figures given below:-
1962 1963 1964 1965 1966
67 151 306 511 718
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