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31
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
These services are provided under Part III of the National
Health Service Act of 1946.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
Peter A. Currie. m.r.c.s., l.r.c.p., Senior Medical Officer.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Under Section 22 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, it
is the duty of every Local Health Authority to make arrangements
for the care, including in particular, dental care of expectant and
nursing mothers and of children who have not attained the age of
five years and are not attending primary schools maintained by a
Local Education Authority.
Care of the Unmarried Mother and her Child
There is one Home for unmarried mothers within the Borough
which is maintained by the Rochester Diocesan Society for Social
Work. This Home has accommodation for up to 14 expectant and
nursing mothers and is used by several local authorities.
During the year the Council accepted financial responsibility
for the maintenance of 30 unmarried mothers for an average stay
of thirteen weeks at various Mother and Baby Homes.
Child Health Clinics
During the year one additional Child Health Clinic was
established to serve a large housing estate. The fluctuating requirements
of certain areas have of necessity led to some re-arrangement
of the clinic services whereby the number of clinic sessions have in
some cases been increased with a corresponding decrease elsewhere.
No clinics have been closed.
Welfare Foods
All child welfare clinics sell welfare foods in addition to a
range of proprietary baby foods. Sales for the year were:—
6,660 (10,775) tins of National Dried Milk
3,637 (4,007) bottles of Cod Liver Oil
5,818 (6,459) packets of Vitamin tablets
125,842 (132,313) bottles of Orange Juice
(Figures in parenthesis relate to 1967)
Sales of proprietary foods were maintained.
Birth notifications
During the year 4,418 births were notified of which 3,691
occurred in hospital and 727 in the home.