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89
SECTION IX.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The Council's Maternity and Child Welfare scheme makes comprehensive
arrangements for the care and comfort of expectant and nursing mothers, and for
children under five years of age. Its various ramifications were set out in detail
on page 99 of my Annual Report for 1930, but, in addition to the services contained
in that list, the following services are now reported on for the first time.
The services of a Consultant in exceptional cases of obstetric or ante-natal
abnormality at home.
Provision of Maternity Outfits.
Day Ambulance Service for maternity cases.
Payment of compensation to mid wives.
Convalescent Home treatment for expectant and nursing mothers.
Staff. The medical staff consists of one whole time and two part time Medical
Officers for general work and one part time Medical Officer for the Toddlers,
examination clinic. In addition, the services of two Consultants are available,
one for the Artificial Sunlight Clinic and one for consultation in connection with
cases of Puerperal Sepsis and difficult obstetrical conditions. The dental staff—
a dentist and an anaesthetist—are part time and are appointed by the School
Treatment Committee, subject to the approval of the Council. The health visiting
staff consists of seven whole time and two part time health visitors and one
artificial sunlight nurse.
Notification of Births Acts, 1907-15.—Every birth occurring in the Borough
requires to be notified to the Medical Officer of Health within thirty-six hours
of birth. As a matter of fact, only a very small percentage of births are not so
notified. As soon as a notification is received pamphlets dealing with the care
and comfort of mothers and infants are sent by post to every mother. Subsequently,
between the tenth and fourteenth day, a visit is paid to the home by the Health
visitor who decides on her first visit the necessity for subsequent visits. It may
be stated, however, that, broadly, the general basis of visiting is as follows:—
three visits during the first year and one visit in each subsequent year up to the
age of five years, or until the child goes to school.