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From the foregoing report it will be observed that the Municipal Midwives attended and nursed
447 cases, of which 102 were primiparous cases, and in addition 71 cases were booked and subsequently
cancelled.
In respect of the above cases the following work was done :—
1. Interviews at the midwife's house 550
2. Attendances at—
(a) Ante Natal Clinics by midwives 53
(In addition frequent visits were made to the Health Centres by the midwives
to see the Assistant Medical Officer's reports on Ante-Natal and
Post-Natal examinations.)
(b) Post-Natal Clinics by midwives 0
(3) Visits and re-visits to expectant mothers in patients' own homes where
tions are carried out in accordance with the rules of the Central Midwives Board 2,465
(4) Visits and re-visits to nursing mothers and babies (mother and baby counted as
one visit) 7,480
(5) " No entries" by midwives 428
The following information is given in respect of:—
Queen Charlotte's Hospital District Home, 40, Princess Road, N.W.6.
To the 166 cases attended :—
(1) Visits and re-visits to expectant mothers in patients'own homes 360
(The majority of the Ante-Natal work is done at Queen Charlotte's Hospital
Ante-Natal Clinic.)
Visits and re-visits to nursing mothers and babies 4,117
(This figure represents the nursings done by pupil midwives and supervisory
visits made by the Staff midwives.)
Willesden District Nursing Association.—To the 280 cases attended :—
(1) Visits and re-visits to expectant mothers in patients' own homes 320
(2) Visits and re-visits to nursing mothers and babies 5,161
The first year's working of the domiciliary midwifery scheme appears, on the whole, to have
been satisfactory.
The Municipal midwives have not attended as frequently as is desirable at the ante-natal clinics
owing to pressure of work.
Until October, 1938, five whole time Municipal midwives were employed by the Council and
in addition a relief midwife for holiday duties. An additional whole-time midwife was appointed in
October, making the number of whole-time Municipal midwives up to six. The areas were, at this
time, adjusted accordingly.
Two of the six midwives are midwives who were appointed at the commencement of the scheme
from those already in practice in Willesden, and four are general trained State Registered nurses,
holding the Central Midwives Board Certificate.
Five midwives were allotted to the Willesden District Nursing Association to deal with the
maternity nursing in Willesden and two and a half midwives for the area served by Queen Charlotte's
Hospital District Home.
Each of the Municipal midwives had four weeks annual leave and a twenty-four hour period
free of duty and one period of forty-eight hours (including the twenty-four hours previously mentioned)
every four weeks, as set out in the scheme.
The rules framed by the Central Midwives Board under Section 7 (1) of the Midwives Act, 1936,
requiring midwives to attend from time to time a course of instruction, came into force during the year.
The Council has given consent for one midwife, each year, to attend an approved compulsory
four weeks' residential course. This means, with the present Staff, that each midwife will attend
within the time specified and without undue inconvenience to the Domiciliary Midwifery Service.
The Council has also arranged for each midwife to take a course in gas and air analgesia.
At the time of writing this report one midwife has satisfactorily completed a residential course
and passed the examination in gas and air analgesia.
A scheme for Part II, training of pupil midwives, was submitted to the Central Midwives Board.
Following on this, the Central Midwives Board Education supervisor visited Willesden. She saw
each midwife at her work in the patients' homes and in addition she visited each midwife in her own
home to investigate her method of practice and to report on her home conditions.
The scheme, as submitted, was subsequently approved by the Central Midwives Board and the
school will be known as " The Watling and Willesden Training School for Second-period pupil midwives."
The first pupils should come to Willesden on 1st June, 1939.
The arrangements of the scheme as far as Willesden is concerned is as follows :—
A Pupil Midwife will:—
1. Live in the same residence as the Municipal Midwife.
2. Attend and take responsibility for the ante-natal care of not less than 10 pregnant women,
such responsibility to include the booking of cases, the keeping of records and the reporting
of cases. This work will be undertaken in the patients' own homes where full ante-natal
examinations will be carried out by a Municipal Midwife. The work will be done under
the supervision of the Municipal Midwife and the Supervisor of Midwives.
3. Attend and take responsibility for not less than 10 women during labour. She will watch
the progress of the labours and keep careful and detailed records of the cases in such
form as the Board may prescribe. She will also be allowed full opportunity to become
self reliant. She will be left in charge of her cases as far as possible but the Municipal
Midwife will be in reach of call.
4. Attend and nurse not less than 10 lying-in women and their babies in the patients' own
homes during the 14 days immediately following labour. This work will be done under
the supervision of the Municipal Midwife and the Supervisor of Midwives. All rules
of the Central Midwives Board will be strictly carried out by the pupil midwife.