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General Provision of Health
Services.
Hospitals.—General Hospitals.—The arrangements set out in
the Annua] Report for 1930 regarding the provision of general and
special hospital accommodation for the inhabitants of Southgate
remain unaltered. They still appear satisfactory.
Provision for Maternity Beds.—The agreement with the Royal
Northern Hospital and the Salvation Army Maternity Hospital
to admit Southgate mothers at reduced fees continues to work
satisfactorily. As before, the North Middlesex County Hospital is
also being utilised by a proportion of our maternity cases.
Closer contact is now being maintained with the North Middlesex
County Hospital, particularly with regard to the examination of
expectant mothers at our Pre-natal Clinic. We still have no
binding arrangement whereby Southgate mothers can be admitted
to that Hospital and be maintained at the Borough Council's
expense.
Isolation Hospital.—The following improvements were carried
out at the Isolation Hospital during 1938:-
Redecoration of wards; purchase of additional furniture
and equipment, including steam sterilizing apparatus, stainless
steel fitments and additional bed-pan sterilizers; improvements
to grounds.
Additional alterations and improvements are scheduled for
1939, designed to maintain the hospital in an efficient condition.
The permanent nursing, domestic and outdoor staff remained
unaltered during 1938. As before, additional nursing staff was
obtained when occasion required.
Once again I find myself in the unhappy position of having to
state that the proposed extensions at the Isolation Hospital are
still a matter for the future. At one time it appeared likely that
building operations would be commenced before the end of the
year. Various difficulties arose, however, which necessitated the
postponement of this anticipated pleasure. How long a period
must elapse before we can see even the foundation stone laid is
still a matter for conjecture, but in the interest of all concerned
it is sincerely to be hoped that before another twelve months have
passed, it may be possible to report a happier position.
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