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Research
Participation by medical staff at certain ante-natal clinics in the research project
sponsored by Dr. A. G. Mezey, Consultant Psychiatrist, North Middlesex Hospital,
with the object of finding out if the mental breakdown which occasionally occurs
after childbirth could be anticipated during pregnancy, ended in 1968. The results
of the research were evaluated by Dr. K. Dalton, with assistance from certain other
general practitioners and the Council's medical officers who had taken part in the
survey. A significant finding was that women who suffered from puerperal breakdown
had tended to be anxious when they first saw the doctor early in pregnancy, but that
later on they tended to be rather elated and free from minor complaints so common
in pregnancy.
Population Screening for Carcinoma of the Cervix of the Uterus
This service, which commenced in 1966 for women between the ages of 35 and
60 years, was continued during 1969 at the special sessions held at three suitably
situated clinics, and at ante-natal sessions. It is emphasised that this test is for
apparently healthy women only and no examination, apart from the cervical smear, is
carried out. The patient and her family doctor are informed of the result, and any
treatment which is necessary is arranged or carried out by the family doctor. Women
are at present recommended to have this test at five-yearly intervals.
One thousand two hundred and sixty-seven cervical smears were taken during
ante-natal sessions and at the 63 special clinic sessions. There was one doubtful case
which required further investigation and this was later diagnosed as cancer of the
cervix; treatment was given and a subsequent cervical smear indicated no active
malignant cells. There were 424 other findings of a non-cancerous nature.
Since the service began a total of 9,159 smears have been taken and twenty-one
positive cases found, i.e. 2-3 per 1,000 examinations.
(See Statistical Tables 9, 10 and 11)
MIDWIFERY
Under Section 10 of the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968, it is the
duty of every local health authority to provide a domiciliary midwifery service. The
Section enables local health authorities to make provision for midwives to attend
women elsewhere than in their own homes or in hospitals vested in the Minister, the
aim being to obtain greater flexibility in the deployment of midwives and promote
greater co-operation between the local authority midwifery service and general
practice. The Section also provides for arrangements between local health authorities
for the services of midwives employed by one authority to be made available in
another authority's area on agreed terms and conditions and for a similar arrangement
to be made between a local health authority and a hospital authority.
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