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FOREWORD - 1939.
The year 1939 dawned with every prospect of many of the chorished
dreams of the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee becoming materialised.
The shortage of suitable buildings for this Service had long been a very real
problem, and schemes were being put into operation for the building of the
Forest Road Clinic, the conversion or re-building of Ridge House for Clinic
purposes, and the all important question of a New Day Nursery, But for the
outbreak of the War these plans would have been well advanced by the end of
1939, and filled a very real need in the district. Moreover, the entire
Service was in a healthy condition, shewing progress and expansion in every
direction. The Staff of the Health Visiting Service was extended by the
appointment of an additional Health Visitor, and changes wore made in the
Medical Staff.
The Midwifery Service has made excellent advancement and early in the
year the Staff was further augmented, and there are now 9 midlives employed
by the Council, namely 7 on the permanent staff and 2 in a temporary capacity.
Furthermore, the Council appointed a Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives and
Mrs. Wingrove commenced her duties on June 5th, 1939, having been appointed to
this position.
At the end of June the midwives took over the work of the AnteNatal
Clinics hitherto carried out by the Health Visiting Staff, and the
midwives are now in close contact with their cases during the whole period of
pregnancy.
The scheme of Ante—Natal co-operation with the North Middlesex
County Hospital continued to be of a satisfactory nature, and the women
attended the Council's Clinics for supervision prior to their admission to
hospital for confinements. In spite of the War period the attendances at
the Ante-Natal Clinics increased from 3,801 in 1938 co 5,271 in 1939.
With the outbreak of the war a certain amount of dislocation took
place in the Clinic services. The Ante-Natal Clinic sessions remained open,
but the work was made very difficult in the early weeks, chiefly on account
of the decision of most of the Maternity Hospitals to restrict very severely
the number of women admitted to their Wards. This meant that the women were
faced with many new problems and required special help and advice.
After a short period of about 2 weeks, the Infant Welfare Centres
and other essential services re-opened and resumed their normal functions.
the Weir Hall Clinic and St. John's Church Hall were taken over by the
Civil Defence Autherities, and the St. Alphege Church Hall had to be closed
for a short period, and these; sessions were concentrated at the Brookfiela
House Centre. The St. Stephen's Church Hall Centre was temporarily closed
as well, but had re-opened before the end of 1939, and it is hoped to re-open
St. Alphage Church Hall early on 1940.
Four of the Nursing Staff were transferred to areas where children
had been evacuated, and were responsible for the well-being not only of the
school children, but of expectant mothers and children under 5 years of age.
Other members of the Nursing Staff assisted in First Aid duties at local
Posts for a time.
the Day Nursery was evacuated on September 1st to the Colchester
area through the Government's Evacuation Scheme- some of the children were
billeted at Colchester, others at Groat Horkesley and a third party at
Pebmarsh; th. Staff being di tributed in the three areas. The system of
billeting nursery parties was found to be unsatisfactory, as it created many
problems which were unsolvable. At the end of the year premises wore
requisitioned by the Government and arrangements have been made for the
children to be transferred to "Foxes", Ramsden Heath, Essex on January 6th,
and they should derive much benefit from the country surroundings. The house
being of a modern type, is in every way suitable for a Nursery, and further