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The development of the Maternity and Child Welfare services
illustrates the importance of forward planning; this type of social
service must never be regarded as static, it must move with the
times, indeed, ahead of the times. There is every reason to believe
that the policy adopted by Southgate will be maintained in thefuture,
and that the years which lie ahead will see an even greater development
of Maternity and Child Welfare in its fullest sense, than was
previously possible.
A glance at the number of attendances and the work carried out
at our Welfare Centres during 1947 will show that the level of attendances
has been maintained. Attendances at the various Welfare
Centres in Southgate necessitated a review of the facilities available,
and was the subject of a special report submitted to the Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee in September, 1947. This resulted in
the establishment of one additional child welfare session and one
additional ante-natal session. When the change was made, it was
also known that the Centre previously in use at Broomfield House
would become available early in 1948. This excellent Centre has
since been opened, and is serving a very useful purpose.
It is also pleasing to record that the taking over of the School
Health Service in September, 1947, made practicable a much closer
liaison between Maternity and Child Welfare and the school child
than was previously possible. Our Health Visitors, with an addition
of three to the existing total, were then made responsible for work
in the schools in addition to their previous duties. The same Medical
Officers are now in charge of Maternity and Child Welfare and the
work of the School Health Service, and are thus able, with their
staffs, to secure a continuity of records and information which will
undoubtedly prove of value as time passes. There can be no doubt
that this combination of duties holds out greater prospects of success
than did the separation of the staff into watertight compartments.
It is too soon yet, of course, to assess the ultimate results of the
fusion, but I am fully convinced that time will prove the wisdom of
the step.
There is one aspect of our Maternity and Child Welfare Work
which is not so pleasing. This relates to the number of home visits
which are paid by our Health Visitors in the course of their work.
This unsatisfactory factor is not confined to Southgate. It is more
or less nation-wide, and has been the subject of comment at one
time or another by almost every Medical Officer of Health.
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