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41
During the year three schemes adopted by the Council commenced
operation, viz., the compensation of midwives, the provision of trained
midwives to act as maternity nurses to those expectant mothers who have
engaged a general practitioner for their confinements at home and the provision
of home helps in certain cases. The first scheme was adopted on the 29th May
and the other two schemes on the 30th October.
These schemes are set out in full in this report. The object of the first
scheme is to compensate midwives for loss of fees in those cases where the
patient having been sent by a midwife to a Borough ante-natal clinic for supervision
has been advised on health grounds by the medical officer of the clinic
to have her confinement in hospital. Such a scheme should encourage midwives
to send cases to the ante-natal clinics and, when necessary, to hospital
for confinement.
By the scheme for the provision of Maternity Nurses it is hoped to
decrease the number of " handy-women " who assist in doctors' cases.
The third scheme providing Home Helps will enable harrassed mothers
to have a sufficiently long period of rest following their confinement before
resuming their household duties. This service will also be of great help to those
cases where illnesses and abnormalities occur during the pregnancy whether
the birth takes place at home or in hospital.
Scheme I.—Compensation to Private Midwives for loss of confinement Compensafee
consequent UPON midwife'S maternity case being transferred to Midwives.
Hospital for confinement.
The particular cases to which the scheme applies and the conditions laid
down by the council are as follows:—
(1) The case after engaging the midwife must have been referred by
the midwife to one of the Borough ante-natal clinics for regular supervision
or ante-natal care during pregnancy.
(2) The case must be one where a private midwife has been definitely
engaged for the confinement to take place at home.
(3) As a result of the clinic Medical Officer's recommendation on
health grounds the birth of the child must have taken place in hospital.
(4) Before compensation is paid the midwife must return to the mother
any booking fee received from her.