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
Haringey 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Haringey]
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MIDWIFERY SERVICE
There was a further drop in domiciliary deliveries as also a total reduction of 269 births in the
borough compared with 1968.
The number of domiciliary bookings was 565, and 450 were successfully delivered at home. 50
mothers were transferred to hospital for varying reasons during labour and returned home to be
nursed by the district midwife following delivery. The remainder either removed from the area
or were booked for a hospital delivery. The emergency obstetric squad was called from the
North Middlesex Hospital on 4 occasions. One patient had a blood transfusion and remained at
home. Three mothers and babies were transferred to hospital accompanied by the squad. All
conditions were eventually satisfactory.
| Source of Request | Number of requests received | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | |
| Hospitals in N.W. Metropolitan Region | 3 | 39 | 50 | 6 | 8 |
| Hospitals in N.E. Metropolitan Region | 174 | 267 | 303 | 262 | 155 |
| General Practitioner Obstetricians | 48 | 84 | 97 | 105 | 96 |
| Local Authority Clinics | 116 | 267 | 158 | 65 | 45 |
| Midwi ves | - | - | - | 3 | - |
| TOTAL | 341 | 657 | 608 | 441 | 304 |
Of the 304 investigated 160 were referred to hospital, 137 were booked for home confinement and
7 moved out of the area.
The number of referrals was considerably less, indicating that hospital beds were more easily
obtainable in the North East Metropolitan Board Region.
| Source of Request | Number of requests recei ved | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | |
| Requested by hospitals in N.W. Metropolitan Region | 187 | 267 | 233 |
| Requested by hospitals in N.E. Metropolitan Region | 143 | 137 | 201 |
| Requested by London Teaching Hospitals | 39 | 44 | 50 |
| TOTAL | 369 | 448 | 484 |
Number accepted: 402
Actual Number discharged
and attended: 327
Unplanned discharges: 120
Self discharges: 116
Here we see an increase in the number of requests from the North East Metropolitan Board notably
the North Middlesex Hospital and the Bearsted Hospital both of which almost doubled the number
compared with the previous year.
Unplanned discharges increased to 120 from 96 in 1968, 15 due to shortage of beds in the City
of London Maternity Hospital and 9 in the North Middlesex Hospital, both hospitals having had to
close a ward because of infection in August and October respectively. Other reasons for unplanned
discharges being mothers delivered of stillbirths and neonatal deaths and/or domestic crises that
arose during the puerperium.
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