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during recent years in the number of women desiring to have
their confinements in hospital it is becoming increasingly
difficult to find accommodation for all who do not wish to
have their confinements at home. This difficulty has been
accentuated by the recent alteration in the Rules of the Central
Midwives Board whereby the official lying-in period has been
extended from ten to fourteen days. Even if there were no
increase in the number of women desiring admission to
maternity beds, the extension of the lying-in period alone
would warrant a 40 per cent. increase in accommodation.
With regard to the recommendation of the Ministry regarding
the necessity for the provision of a sufficient number of beds
allocated to and reserved for ante-natal patients, there are
in Queen Mary's Hospital only five such beds to accommodate
cases from the wide area served by the hospital. This number
of beds is, of course, quite inadequate. The Minister considers
that it is necessary that each Authority should review the
position in its area with special regard to the need for antenatal
wards, and should bear in mind the desirability of
arranging for the accommodation to be provided in association
with a general hospital where facilities for diagnosis and
treatment are readily available.
Suggestion.
I suggest that your Authority should confer with the
Governors of Queen Mary's Hospital with a view to possible
extension of existing maternity accommodation, including
beds allocated to and reserved for ante-natal and post-natal
patients.
Post-Natal Services.
Recommendation in Circular 1622.
The development of post-natal services, including the
establishment of clinics and arrangements for in-patient
treatment, is a matter of urgent necessity. The development
of post-natal clinics has never kept pace with the expansion
of ante-natal clinics. Arrangements should be made for holding
post-natal sessions at every ante-natal clinic centre; no effort
should be spared to persuade women who attend at the antenatal
clinic to return after confinement for medical examination;
and the clinic should be associated with some institution
at which facilities are available for the treatment of gynecological
conditions in general, e.g., a women's hospital or a