View report page

71
arrangements had to be made for the mothers to be accommodated elsewhere.
The position became so acute towards the end of the year, and in view of the
heavy strain on the accommodation at the Council's Maternity Home and the
impossibility of obtaining alternative hospital accommodation, recourse
was had to the Voluntary Hospitals' Emergency Bed Service in December,
who kindly agreed to arrange for the admission of patients to the London
Hospitals if there were vacant beds when a patient went into labour. Through
this arrangement 3 patients were admitted to the following Hospitals during
December:—
Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital, Clapton 2
Poplar Hospital 1
Wilnett Lodge.
The Ministry of Health were advised of the grave difficulties existing in
Ilford in regard to maternity accommodation, attributable to the very heavy
damage resulting from enemy action and the consequent lack of housing
accommodation to enable mothers to have their confinements at home,
coupled with the very considerable rise in the birth rate.
As a result of these representations, approval was given to a proposal for
the adaptation of Wilnett Lodge, in High Road, Chadwell Heath, as a
Post-Natal Home to accommodate 9 mothers and infants. With the opening
of the Home selected cases will be transferred there from the Council's
Maternity Home on about the 7th day of the puerperium, thus relieving the
heavy strain on the accommodation at the Council's Maternity Home.