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18
Personal health services
The remainder of the report provides detailed information on the personal health services in the area
since the operation of the National Health Service Act, 1946.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Care of the expectant mother
During 1959 a little over half of all expectant mothers attended the local ante-natal clinics staffed by
assistant medical officers (Table 50).
Expectant mothers require adequate ante-natal care throughout pregnancy, and close co-operation,
therefore, exists between general practitioners, staffs of hospitals, assistant medical officers, midwives, and
health visitors.
Health visitors make the initial arrangements for hospital and domiciliary confinements at the local
clinics (Table 51). Mothers are booked for confinement at home or in Paddington Hospital, and have specimens
of blood taken by assistant medical officers for Wasserman reaction, blood grouping, and Rhesus factor; tests
for Haemoglobin estimation are also carried out. All expectant mothers are invited to attend the Mass X-Ray
Unit at Central Middlesex Hospital.
Health visitors conduct mothercraft classes (one afternoon a week at the main clinics) on the birth
and care of the expectant mother and the child. They arrange carefully planned programmes of talks and
demonstrations which are given by the assistant medical officers, health visitors and midwives. Mothers are
encouraged to ask questions and interesting discussions follow over a cup of tea (Table 52).
The physiotherapist conducts ante-natal relaxation classes on two afternoons a week in the orthopaedic
department at Stonebridge Clinic and on one afternoon a week at Pound Lane Clinic and a health
visitor conducts similar classes at Kilburn Clinic on one morning (Table 53). The mothers enjoy these classes
and their association with other expectant mothers has a good psychological effect. There is no doubt that the
exercises assist the mother at the time of the confinement. Most of them report on their easy confinement and
how they were able to practise what they had been taught.
Some hospitals do the ante-natal care, mothercraft and relaxation exercises for their own expectant
mothers. Health visitors and midwives encourage mothers to have post-natal examinations six weeks after the
confinement, either at the hospital, at the clinic, or by general practitioners. Health visitors make follow-up
visits where mothers fail to keep appointments at the hospital or clinics.
Child welfare clinics
Child welfare sessions are held in three main clinics (5 afternoons a week) and in four church hall
clinics (two afternoons a week in three, and three afternoons a week in one) (Table 54). Assistant medical officers
and health visitors give advice on the feeding, hygiene and general management of infants and young
children. The doctors immunise children against diphtheria, whooping cough and poliomyelitis.
The number of children vaccinated against poliomyelitis continued to increase and adequate supplies
of vaccine were available (page 20). The number of children vaccinated against smallpox (Table 64) increased
by approximately 20% from 1958 while the number immunised against diphtheria (Table 65) was almost
the same as in 1958.
Health visitors advise mothers of young babies on immunisation against poliomyelitis as well as
against diphtheria, whooping cough and smallpox.
Greeting cards are sent to children on their first and second birthdays, inviting mothers to bring
them to the clinic for routine yearly examinations; many mothers respond to these invitations.
A Mothers' Club is held in Kilburn Clinic once a fortnight, and in Stonebridge Clinic once a week.
The mothers form their own committees and run the clubs themselves with the help of the nursing staff.
The Stonebridge Clinic Mothers' Club was formed five years ago and has become firmly established. The
total membership is 39 and the average attendance at meetings is 25. The club is self-supporting and its assets
amount to just over £12.
During the year lectures, talks and demonstrations on health and home crafts, many illustrated with
films, have been given by medical officers, health visitors and outside speakers. Outside activities have included
visits to theatres, cooking centres, places of interest (a farm and a printing works), a day trip to Heme Bay
and a visit by mothers and children to a pantomime.
The highlight of the year was a very successful children's Christmas party attended by Her Worship
the Mayor, Councillor Mrs. N. Clark, J.P. Bring-and-buy sales and raffles were held to pay for the activities
arranged for the children.
An annual donation of £1 is sent to the Willesden Old Folks' Association. A door-to-door collection
was arranged in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and was donated to the
society's funds.
The members are most enthusiastic and look forward to the weekly evening meeting. They all feel
that they have gained much useful knowledge from the visits of the many people who have addressed them
on widely differing subjects, and from friendliness with each other.