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2. To secure the necessary assistance so as to ensure the mothers having
skilled and prompt attendance during confinement at home or in complicated
cases in a hospital.
3. To arrange for the treatment in hospital of complications arising
after parturition, whether in mother or infant ; to give systematic advice
and treatment for infants at a baby clinic or infant dispensary, and to watch
over the child's health up to the age it attends school; to ensure the
systematic home visitation of infants and children not on the School
Register.
In 1915 a Maternity and Child Welfare Centre was opened at 152, Kingsland
Road by the Borough Council, and at this Centre arrangements were made in conjunction
with the Women's League of Service for the provision of dinners for
nursing and expectant mothers. Early in 1916 a lady physician was appointed
to attend once a week for consultations at the Centre, which quickly proved a most
valuable adjunct to the Maternity and Child Welfare work in the Borough. It soon
became evident, however, that the premises were inadequate for the purpose.
During the year the Maternity and Child Welfare work was carefully reviewed by
the Health Committee, with the result that the staff of health visitors appointed by
the Borough Council was increased to four.
The year 1917 was marked by a great increase in the work. Besides the
municipal health visitors there were two others, one employed by the Shoreditch
School for Mothers, and one at that time engaged by the Harman Street Mission,
who were participating in the work, and continued to do so for about a year. It
was at this juncture, just when the need for such provision was becoming urgent,
that the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust made their generous offer to erect and equip
after the war a suitable building for the purposes of maternity and child welfare
work in Shoreditch.
The Borough Council gratefully accepted this generous offer, and undertook
to provide site, plans, obtain the necessary estimates for the work, and they also
agreed to bear the cost of efficiently maintaining the Centre when erected.
During 1918 a scheme for the provision of a Model Centre was under consideration,
but progress in connection therewith was much hampered owing to the Great War.
The year 1919 was marked by an agreement, which was entered into with the
City of London Lying-in Hospital, whereby consultative and local Maternity
Centres were provided for the Borough. Progress was made as regards the provision
of the Model Centre, the handsome sum of £25,000 being promised by the Trust
for the erection and equipment of the same. A site in the Kingsland Road was
obtained at a cost of about £6,000, and towards the end of the year the Council's
proposals as regards the arrangements and the accommodation required at the
Centre were under the consideration of the Minister of Health. Plans were prepared
by the architect appointed by the Council, Mr. F. Danby Smith, submitted to and