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34
MIDWIFERY SERVICE
1971 was a year of preparation for the coming unification
of the local health authority and hospital and general practitioner
services. Prolonged discussions took place throughout the year concerning
the delayed opening of the domiciliary delivery unit in the Dorchester
Ward at Kingston Hospital, but owing to difficulties resulting from the
structural problems, it was not possible to begin the scheme until the
end of the year.
The final inauguration date for the scheme is 1 January 1972,
and the balcony of the Florence Ward is to be used for the purpose.
The agreed proposals are for patients to be booked by their own
general practitioners and for records to be referred to the obstetrician
who checks each booking. If suitable, the patients continue their antenatal
care under the general practitioners and domiciliary midwives.
They are admitted to the balcony of the Florence Ward when in labour
and deliveries are conducted by the midwives, or student midwives, with
general practitioners in attendance. Mothers and babies are discharged
home by ambulance as soon as possible. Special consultations with the
Greater London Council's ambulance staff took place to plan the special
arrangements for this scheme.
All Council midwives now work in close liaison with the general
practitioners who undertake obstetrics. A part-time midwife also attends
the ante-natal booking clinics at Kingston Hospital. This midwife advises
on social conditions, especially for mothers being discharged after 48
hours. She attended 146 sessions at which patients made 8,268 attendances.
The Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives now attends the regular
meetings of the Maternity Medical Committee at the Kingston Medical Centre.
During the year the trend towards hospital confinements, as
opposed to domiciliary confinements, continued and of the 1,907 births
in the borough only 126, or 6.6 per cent, took place in the mothers' homes.
Medical aid was summoned in 103 cases.
Midwifery Training
The Authority is approved by the Central Midwives Board as a
training authority for students taking Part II of their training. During
the year 18 such students were trained. They came from Kingston and