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29
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
These services are provided by the local health authority under
Part 3 of the National Health Service Act 1946 as amended in Part 1 of the
Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.
Care of Mothers and Young Children
Every local health authority makes arrangements for the care of
expectant and nursing mothers and of children, who have not attained the
age of 5 years and who are not attending primary schools maintained by
the local education authority.
The changing pattern of confinement away from the domiciliary
delivery to delivery in hospital with or without early discharge home
continued during the year and was associated with a corresponding change
in the pattern of ante-natal care of the expectant mother. This tended to
take place more and more in either hospital ante-natal out patient departments
or in general practitioners' surgeries. Most of the Borough's midwives
are now working in association with the general practitioners in
their surgeries and, therefore, need for local authority ante-natal clinics
continues to fall and will soon disappear. In all probability, the day of
100% hospital confinement, especially in this area, is not so far off.
On the other hand, the work of preparing and advising the expectant
mother regarding her confinement is still a very important and very
worthwhile exercise carried out by the local health authority staff. Relaxation
exercise classes to help the mother during the actual delivery are held,
together with mothercraft courses at local clinics throughout the Borough.
Each preparation course lasts between 8-9 weeks and starts during the
fifth month of pregnancy.
Advice on the feeding, hygiene and general management of the infant
was made available at 18 centres throughout the Borough. These sessions
have a high educational value and are much appreciated by the young
nursing mother, who often requires much sympathetic guidance and
encouragement with her new responsibilities.
Particular attention is paid to the developmental progress of each
child, special surveillance being instituted when any deviations from the
norm are noted.
Simple screening tests are performed and the main task is geared to
the detection of defects in children at as early an age as possible, particularly
those on the observation register, their general development being carefully
watched and a social assessment made. The problems of the future
education of handicapped children are considered from the time of
diagnosis of the defect and the pre-school phase is utilised as an assessment
period for each child, the actual assessment carrying on into school life.
The progress of these children is carefully observed and the mother