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SECTION 23 - MIDWIFERY SERVICE
These years have been difficult ones for the domiciliary midwives, and for long periods four midwives
only were active in the borough. Shortage of trained midwives is a national problem, and difficulties
in recruitment particularly marked in East Ham owing to the unattractive nature of the area, and lack of
inducements such as provision of housing and car by the employing Authority. In spite of shortage of staff the
instruction of the midwifery pupils allocated has proceeded normally, thanks to the energy of Mrs. Lloyd-Owen
and Miss Stevens.
As mentioned in the foreword the General Practitioner Obstetrician scheme started in May 1961 and
was followed by a great resurgence of interest of many local doctors in domiciliary midwifery and ante-natal
and post-natal care. For the first time general practitioners can examine their own expectant mothers under
ideal conditions with ancillary clerical and Health Visitor advisory services readily available. The midwife
too is present whenever possible to complete liaison and share with the general practitioner obstetrician the full
surveillance of all aspects of the ante-natal period.
It is too early to report fully on this local authority-general practitioner co-operation, but the
experiment will be watched with interest by the Health Committee.