London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ealing 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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8. MIDWIFERY
In accordance with Section 23 of the National Health Service Act, the Council
provides a staff of 18 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 1970.
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.
13 of the Council's midwives are approved teachers and during the year 32 pupils
from Perivale Maternity Hospital and Hillingdon Hospital were trained. Those from the
former hospital were accommodated in the Council's Pupil Midwives' Hostel, which has
continued to prove popular.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 626 | 5, 039 | 5, 665 |
| 1967 | 599 | 5, 109 | 5, 708 |
| 1968 | 500 | 4,907 | 5, 407 |
| 1969 | 406 | 4,868 | 5, 274 |
| 1970 | 345 | 4, 926 | 5, 271 |
The Council has an agreement 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:-
1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
718 674 679 858 879
INTEGRATED MIDWIFERY WITH PERIVALE MATERNITY HOSPITAL
During the year an integrated midwifery scheme between Perivale Maternity Hospital
and the London Borough of Ealing was started. The domiciliary midwives and their pupils
will undertake the delivery of a certain number of patients in the hospital. These
patients are selected by a consultant obstetrician from those already booked for a
hospital confinement and discharge at 48 hours. This will allow for a continuity of care
provided by the midwife in the ante-natal and post-natal periods.
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