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18
Personal Health Service
The remainder of the report provides detailed information on the personal health services in the
area.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Care of the Expectant Mother
During 1961 60% of all expectant mothers attended the local ante-natal clinics staffed by assistant
medical officers (Table 43).
Close co-operation exists between general practitioners, staffs of hospitals, assistant medical officers,
midwives and health visitors to provide expectant mothers with adequate ante-natal care throughout pregnancy.
The maternity record card based on the Chase Farm one is also being used for those mothers who attend at
both the Paddington or Kingsbury Maternity Hospital and at the Willesden clinics.
Health visitors make the initial arrangements for hospital and domicilary cofinements at the local
clinics (Table 44). Mothers booked for confinement at home or in Paddington Hospital have specimens of
blood taken by assistant medical officers for the Wasserman reaction, blood grouping, blood haemoglobin and
the Rhesus factor. 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 45). Short talks are
also given at one of the sub-clinics during the ante-natal sessions.
The physiotherapist conducts ante-natal relaxation classes on two afternoons a week at Stonebridge
clinic and on one afternoon a week at Pound Lane clinic; and Neasden clinic; a health visitor conducts
the classes at Kilburn clinic on one morning (Table 46). The mothers enjoy these classes and their association
with other expectant mothers has a good psychological effect. There is no doubt that the exercises help
the mother at the time of the confinement. She is taught how to breathe correctly and how to relax, which is
of great value, especially when an analgesic is administered. She also learns the various positions she will
require to taks up during labour and, therefore, gains further confidence.
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 examination six weeks after the
confinement, at the hospital, clinic or general practitioner's surgery. Health visitors visit mothers who fail
to keep appointments at the hospital or clinics.
Child Welfare Clinics
Child welfare sessions are held in seven clinics; due to Neasden clinic being opened during the year,
four are main clinics and three are subsidiary ones. Two of the subsidiary clinics are held in church halls
and one in a converted house.
Assistant medical officers and health visitors give advice on the feeding, hygiene and general
management of infants and young children. The doctors give advice and immunise children against diphtheria,
whooping cough and tetanus and subsequently against poliomyelitis.
Compared with the previous year the proportion of children vaccinated against smallpox (Table 57)
and the number immunised against diphtheria (Table 58) was maintained.
At Pound Lane Clinic an experienced woman is employed for three sessions a week to care for
children when their mothers are attending at clinic sessions. 122 sessions were held and 592 attendances
were made.
The Stonebridge Clinic Mothers' Club formed seven years ago has become firmly established with a
membership of 50. The mothers meet once a week and run the club and committee themselves with the help
of the nursing staff; an average attendance at meetings is 35. The club is self-supporting and its assets
amount to about £25. A number of old members have left and acquired new homes out of Willesden; these
mothers have been replaced by other mothers living in the Stonebridge area.
Medical officers, health visitors and outside speakers have given lectures, talks and demonstrations on
health and homecraft, many illustrated with films.
Mothers have visited places of interest including the new Birds Eye demonstration kitchen in the
city and the De-La-Rue House in Regent Street, where they were entertained, shown a film on the uses of
Formica in the home, and shown over the new demonstration kitchens. They have also been to theatres, to
Southend to see the lights, to an evening mystery bus tour and with their children to a pantomime, and a
day's outing to Maiden in Essex. A children's Christmas party and a seventh anniversary dinner were held at
Stonebridge Clinic. An annual donation of £1 is sent to the Willesden Old Folks' Association. A door-todoor
collection was arranged in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the
proceeds which amounted to £20 were given to the Society's funds.
Neasden Clinic
Neasden Clinic was officially opened on Friday, 21st July, 1961, by County Alderman Colonel Sir
Joseph Maygarth, C.B.E., J.P., Chairman of the County Council.
The clinic replaces one formerly held at St. Catherine's Church Hall, Neasden which the County
Council used only part-time.