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58
Both cases were reported to the Coroner and the causes of death were
certified by him after a post-mortem examination.
The maternal mortality rate for the Ward Blocks of the Home for the
ten years from 1936 to 1945 is 1.55 per 1,000 births, as compared with the
maternal mortality rate in the district generally of 2.83, the rate in each
case being calculated on the total live births.
Training of Pupil Midwives.—As mentioned in the Report for 1944
the Home has been approved by the Central Midwives Board as a Part 1
Training School for not less than ten pupil midwives in training at one time.
35 Pupil Midwives commenced their training during 1945. 8 of these
and 9 of the 22 who commenced in 1944 passed Part 1 Examination in 1945.
Gas and Air Analgesia.—Two Hospital Model Walton Minnitt Gas Air
Machines have been provided for the purpose of producing analgesia during
labour. Gas and air was administered to 337 patients during the year.
The Home has been approved by the Central Midwives Board for the
purpose of providing instruction in the essentials of obstetric analgesia and
in the use of a recognised apparatus such as that provided at the Home.
Five of the staff qualified and obtained the Certificate during 1945.
OTHER MATERNITY HOSPITALS.
(a) Oldchurch County Hospital.—As mentioned in the Report for
1944, the Essex County Council ceased to book any Maternity cases from
Ilford at the end of June, 1944.
Nine cases were, however, admitted to that Hospital from Ilford during
1945 as an emergency measure.
(b) Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford.—By arrangement 9 cases
were admitted to Queen Mary's Hospital for confinement during 1945. The
fee payable to the Hospital authorities is at the rate of 10s. per day.
(c) East End Maternity Hospital, Stepney.—In May, 1944, the
Secretary of this Hospital stated that a limited number of maternity
cases from Ilford could be accepted for admission to their Wards at their
Hospital at Stepney, or their Hospital evacuated to Newport Pagnell,
Buckinghamshire, at a charge of 13s. per day.
Seven cases were admitted for confinement to the Hospital at Newport
Pagnell during 1945.
(d) Emergency Maternity Homes.—As from 31st August, 1945, the
Government decided that the cost of the maintenance of expectant mothers
in Ante-Natal Hostels or Billets and Emergency Maternity Homes could
no longer be justified as a charge on the Evacuation Account, and that
Welfare Authorities who were responsible for sending patients away would
be required to pay a flat rate of 14s. per day during the whole of the time the
mother was away. This charge is to cover the cost of accommodation in
the Ante-Natal Hostel or Billet, cost of maintenance in the Maternity
Home, and travelling.
The Ministry of Health stated that it would be for the sending authority
to recover fees from the mother on their normal basis of recovery.
In view of the fact that patients are away for an average period of
5 weeks, and in order to obviate, as far as possible, any hardship on the
patients, the Council decided that the scale of charges for admission to their
Maternity Home should be amended in the case of patients evacuated only
by halving such charges; in effect this means that a patient evacuated
contributes approximately 1½ times the charge for maintenance in the
Council's Maternity Home for a period of 2 weeks.
196 patients were evacuated to the Emergency Maternity Homes during
1945; 78 from the period 31st August to 31st December, for whom the
Council were responsible for the financial arrangements. The latter 78 cases
were away for an average of 37 days each.
All the patients attended the Council's Ante-Natal Clinics and there
were 1,055 attendances by such cases. These figures are included in the
Table of Attendances at the Ante-Natal Clinics.