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135
Consultative Ante-Natal Clinic.
Recommendation in Circular 1622.
The Minister draws attention to the importance of establishing
for each area a consultative ante-natal clinic—preferably
at a maternity hospital—which should be conducted
by an obstetric specialist, and to which should be referred all
cases of doubt or difficulty discovered at the routine ante-natal
clinics or by general medical practitioners.
Present Arrangements.
In the past your Council's Obstetric Consultant (Mr.
R. Alan Brews, F.R.C.S., M.D.), has been good enough to
examine at Queen Mary's Hospital cases (20 to 30 per annum)
of doubt and difficulty referred by Dr. Menzies from your
ante-natal clinics; but as these examinations have been
made voluntarily and unofficially, the arrangement cannot be
regarded as constituting a consultative ante-natal clinic
"established" by the Local Authority. Leyton expectant
mothers referred by Dr. Menzies to Queen Mary's Hospital
attend the out-patient department of the Hospital, where
they may be kept waiting for several hours before being
examined. Such a state of affairs is objectionable and undesirable
both from the standpoint of patients and consultant ;
but, in the absence of a definite arrangement between the
Local Authority and the Hospital, it cannot be avoided.
Maternity Accommodation.
Recommendation in Circular 1622.
Properly constructed, adequately equipped and suitably
staffed maternity accommodation (including a sufficient
number of beds allocated to and reserved for ante-natal patients)
should be provided to meet the needs of every area.
Wherever practicable the accommodation should be provided
in association with general hospitals.
Present Arrangements.
Since 1925 your Authority has had an arrangement for
the provision of maternity beds in the Margaret Lyle Wards,
Queen Mary's Hospital; and in previous reports I have
suggested that you have every reason to be satisfied with the
nature of the accommodation, equipment and staffing available
at such a reasonable cost. With the great increase