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9
Towards the end of the year a scheme was formulated whereby the London
County Council would, in certain circumstances, become financially responsible
for extra beds in voluntary hospitals, and the whole question became a matter of
negotiation between the Council, the London County Council and the British Hospital
for Mothers and Babies. Negotiations were still in progress when the year closed
and a proposal to re-open the maternity ward of the War Memorial Hospital was
being examined.
Home Helps. Home helps were supplied in 90 cases. The number of home
helps on the panel has diminished considerably but suitable arrangements were
made to supply help in every case where required. The home help scheme was
under review at the end of the year with a view to attracting more women to this
employment by improving the status of the home help. A recommendation that
home helps should be re-graded was submitted to the Local Authorities Joint Industrial
Council for Non-Trading (Manual) Workers, and early in 194-1 home helps
were placed in Grade "B" of the Joint Industrial Council scheme.
Supply of Milk, etc., to Necessitous Mothers and Children. The
approximate cost of this service during the year was: Dried milk, £115; fresh
milk, nil ; dinners, nil.
Clinic for Physical Medicine. The work of this clinic was continued in
an attenuated form throughout the year. The number of attendances was 5,771.
War-time Nurseries. Up to the end of 1942, as set out in the report of that
year, the Council had established three day nurseries, and in addition the London
County Council had staffed and equipped two nurseries at rest centres.
In 1943 the erection of two further day nurseries was commenced, one at
Woolwich Common and one at Abbey Wood. They are pre-fabricated buildings
supplied by the Government, each providing accommodation for 60 children.
Construction of the Woolwich Common Nursery was almost complete at the end
of the year. All the Council's nurseries are training schools for probationers, and
are affiliated to the National Society of Children's Nurseries. Admissions to all
nurseries are made through the Health Department and medical supervision is
carried out by the Council. At the end of 1943 arrangements were in being for the
erection of two more nurseries—one at Garland Road, Plumstead, and one at Mineral
Street, Plumstead.
One of the Assistant Medical Officers who has been engaged on the medical
supervision of day nurseries has furnished the following note:—
"The general condition of the children on admission is on the w hole
very good. They settle quickly into their new surroundings and even the
'nervous' type of child is soon playing happily and deriving much benefit
from the companionship of others. Those of the children whose general
condition is not satisfactory improve noticeably due to the regular routine
and the good and suitable meals provided at the nursery. Catarrh and
colds are troublesome in the winter but disappear with the better weather
when the children are able to remain outside most of the day.