View report page

55
clinic has been opened and is held regularly once a week at the
Church in the Orchard, Grange Park. This clinic has met with
immediate and increasing success, and is much appreciated by
the residents of the area it serves.
On 8th and 9th March, Dr. D. M. Taylor, of the Staff of the
Minister of Health, visited Enfield and carried out a comprehensive
inspection of the Maternity and Child Welfare services.
Following upon her report, the Minister of Health expressed
his appreciation of the work which continues to be done in Enfield
for the welfare of mothers and children.
He was glad to note that a full-time Maternity and Child
Welfare Officer and an additional Health Visitor had recently
been appointed, and that arrangements for post-natal clinics were
under consideration.
With a view to developing still further the Enfield scheme,
the Minister suggested the desirability of extending facilities
for the treatment of minor ailments to children under five years
of age, and the provision of sterilised maternity outfits to pregnant
women.
Following upon the Minister's suggestion, arrangements were
made whereby children under five years of age, attending the
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, could receive treatment at the
School Minor Ailment Clinics.
Arrangements have also been made whereby every mother
who has the services of a Municipal midwife or maternity nurse
is provided with a sterilised maternity outfit. These outfits are
appreciated by the mothers, the midwives and the doctors.
During the year post-natal clinics were commenced but
increase in ante-natal work, was so heavy that it was found
necessary to use the clinics allocated to post-natal work
for ante-natal purposes, and as a result I am only able to record
very few post-natal attendances.
The re-arrangements which were made at the end of the year,
however, made it possible to undertake post-natal work on sound
lines. It is now the practice to invite every woman at whose
confinement a doctor was not in attendance, and every woman who
was confined in the North Middlesex County Hospital, to attend
for a post-natal examination six weeks after her confinement.
The idea is a new one to most women in Enfield, but despite this
fact quite a large percentage of the invitations are being accepted,
and I think that during 1939 the public of Enfield will have been
educated to look upon this procedure as natural and wise. I am
satisfied that I shall be able to record a very successful attendance
for the coming year.
It has been considered right and proper that the Council's
Midwives should attend regularly at the ante-natal clinics with