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57
This Unit still plays an Important part in the arrangements for hospital
delivery of mothers who live in East Ham.
A doctor attends dally and as required, and close liaison with the staff
of Forest Gate Hospital ensures that all difficulties and emergencies are
promptly and adequately covered.
By selection and greater ante-natal supervision an attempt is made to
avoid admitting women to this Unit who may need obstetric Interference for
one or other of the foreseeable complications of child-birth. Up to a point
this has worked fairly well, but where emergencies have arisen It was often
found advisable to transfer the parturient mother to Forest Gate Hospital,
The drop in admissions is noted, and goes hand in hand with the decline
in the birth rate, the more careful selection of cases as already Indicated,
and the Increase In domiciliary confinements with the steady Improvement
In the housing position of many families.
It is obvious that falling bed occupancy will result in a concomitant
rise in the cost per bed, and eventually the unit must be uneconomical to
maintain.
Nevertheless, so great are the advantages of this obstetric unit to the
mothers of East Ham, that no financial considerations should be taken Into
account In seeking its closure until and unless full alternative accommodation
can be provided for hospital delivery within easy reach of all parts
of our borough.
ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN (Circular 2866)
The Council do not employ a social worker for the purpose of the above
Circular.
These duties are undertaken by the Superintendent Health Visitor and
her staff and close co-operation is maintained with the Children's Officer.
CARE OF UNMARRIED MOTHERS
During the years 1953 and 1954 the Council was responsible for the
maintenance of 4 and 2 unmarried mothers respectively, in homes of the
Chelmsford Diocesan-Moral Welfare Association.
NURSERY AND CHILD-MINDERS REGULATION ACT, 1948
There were no dally minders provided by the Council and there were
no premises or dally minders registered under the above Act during the
years under review.
The Authority are not paying any fees to daily minders under section
22 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.
REGISTRATION OF NURSING HOMES
Under Sections 187 to 194 of the Public Health Act, 1936, there were
no homes registered during the years 1953 and 1954, and there were no
homes on the register at the end of either year.
SECTION 23 - MIDWIFERY SERVICE
Domiciliary confinement still shares a most important aspect of the
maternity services of East Ham.
In 1953, 300 women were confined in their own homes, and In 1954,
324.