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It is emphasised that the clinics are for apparently healthy women only and
no examination, apart from the cervical smear, is carried out.
One hundred and thirty-three sessions were held and 2,462 cervical smears
were taken. Cancer cells were found in two cases — married women aged 39 years
and 43 years. There was one doubtful case and there were 510 other abnormal
findings of a non-cancer nature.
In Ministry of Health Circular 18/66 the Minister hoped that local health
authorities would co-operate fully with the hospital and general practitioner services
in developing screening services for cancer of the cervix on the lines recommended
in the memorandum enclosed with the circular. This advice was found to be in
conformity with the scheme the Council had already started.
The Hospital Board expected to be able early in 1967 to increase the number
of smears which would be examined from 60 to 90 per week.
Research
During 1966 the Council gave approval to medical staff at certain ante-natal
clinics participating in a research project into the emotional changes which take
place during pregnancy and the puerperium. The project was sponsored by Dr.
A. G. Mezey, Consultant Psychiatrist, North Middlesex Hospital, and the object
is to find out if the mental breakdown which occasionally occurs after childbirth
could be anticipated during pregnancy, with a view to preventive treatment. The
project was still proceeding at the end of the year.
(See Statistical Tables 10,11 and 12.)
MIDWIFERY
Under Section 23 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, it is the duty
of every local health authority to provide a domiciliary midwifery service. The
local health authority is also the local supervising authority for the purposes of
the Midwives Act, 1951.
Domiciliary midwives attended 1,167 confinements during the year and also
undertook the care of 389 patients discharged home after hospital confinement
before the tenth day. The latter figure consists mainly of those cared for under the
Council's planned early discharge scheme. Also included in this figure are those
who took their own early discharge from hospital and those who were booked for
a home confinement but had to be admitted to hospital as an emergency.
All patients under the care of a domiciliary midwife were issued with a
maternity pack. The booklet, To Mothers and Fathers, which gave information
regarding health during pregnancy and advice on the rearing of a young child, was,
until it went out of print, issued to mothers having their first child. A new publication
is in course of preparation and it is hoped it will be a suitable replacement.
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