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for reducing maternal mortality. At the same time, the
whole status of the midwifery profession will be raised by
providing adequate salaries and secure prospects for those
midwives who enter the new service, and by compensating
those who retire within a specified period and so
reducing the present overcrowding in the ranks of the
profession.
The Act provides for the establishment by local
supervising authorities of a salaried midwives' service;
the payment by those authorities of compensation to
midwives who voluntarily retire from practice and to
those who are required to retire owing to old age or
infirmity; the payment by the Exchequer of grants
towards the cost of the new service and towards the
amounts expended in compensation; the prohibition of
maternity nursing by unqualified persons in any area by
order of the Minister as soon as he is satisfied that the
new service in that area is adequate; and the periodical
attendance at post-certificate courses of all practising
midwives."
In order to carry out their duties under the Act the
Council have decided to employ six full-time midwives and
have entered into arrangements with the Watling District
Nursing Association for the provision of midwifery by that
body in a defined portion of the area which it is estimated
will occupy the time of approximately two midwives.
The arrangement with the district nursing associations
and the terms of employment of the midwives are set out at
the end of this section on pages 37—41.
Consideration was also given to Circular 1622 of the
Ministry of Health which contained the more important of
the recommendations which appeared in a Command Report
on an investigation into maternal mortality.
As a result the Council decided:—
(1) That the Middlesex County Council be approached
to ascertain whether they have given consideration
to the provision of Emergency Units.