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MATERNITY SERVICES
Ante-natal Care. In December, 1956, in response to a request
from the Ministry of Health the first of a series of meetings of
Professional Representatives was held at Oldchurch Hospital to
discuss a report on Ante-natal care which had been produced by
the Standing Maternity and Midwifery Advisory Committees.
Representatives of general medical practitioners, public health and
hospital staffs were in attendance.
At this meeting it was decided to adopt a form of ante-natal
co-operation card as a means of facilitating continuity in ante-natal
care. The General Medical Practitioner, Public Health Doctor,
Hospital Medical Officer or Midwife was asked to record a
summary of their findings at each examination on this form, which
was then sealed and held by the patient.
This arrangement, where followed, resulted in better co-operation
between those responsible for patient's ant-natal care, and
has been adopted in the district as standard practice.
The Committee continued to meet regularly and helped to
establish improved co-ordination of the Maternity Services, particularly
in regard to the booking of hospital beds.
It is well known that certain groups of mothers are more
liable to serious complications which may lead to maternal, foetal,
or infant death. The hospital has undertaken to admit all patients
which fall within these priority groups provided application is made
in good time. Despite this facility some patients within e priority
categories for hospital accommodation continue to be delivered
at home.
During the year the Ministry of Health issued a Me.norandum
prepared on the advice of the Standing Advisory Committee, on
maternal care under the Maternity Medical Services which summarises
what should be comprehended in good maternal care such
as might be reasonably expected under the Maternity Medical
Services. The suggestions contained in this Memorandum now
form the basic standards in local health authority ante-natal clinic
practice in this area
Maternity Beds. In my report for 1960 attention was drawn
to the admitted deficiency in accommodation for maternity patients
Plans are well in hand to remedy this shortage, but for he present
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