London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ilford 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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62
Domiciliary Midwifery Service.—At the end of the year there were
9 Domiciliary Midwives employed by the County Council whole-time and
2 part-time, in addition to the Non-Medical Supervisor and her Deputy.
During the year 544 cases were attended. In 497 cases the midwives
were engaged to attend as midwives and in 47 cases as maternity nurses.
A Doctor was called in to 79 of the 497 cases in which a midwife
had been engaged.
Of the infants born there were 5 stillbirths. In all of these cases the
midwife was engaged as a midwife.
There were 3 deaths of infants during the first year of life where the
birth had been attended by a Domiciliary Midwife, all of these occurring
during the first two weeks of life.
Notices were received from the Domiciliary Midwives stating that
artificial feeding had been substituted in respect of 54 infants attended by
them during 1957.
During 1957 Ante-Natal Clinics conducted by the Domiciliary Midwives
were held weekly at Valentines Mansion and fortnightly at Mayesbrook
Clinic and Manford Way Clinic
The following is a summary of the attendances at these Clinics during the year: —
| Valentines Clinic | Mayesbrook Clinic | Manford Way Clinic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First attendances | 360 | 129 | 78 |
| Subsequent attendances | 1,006 | 384 | 313 |
| Totals | 1,366 | 513 | 391 |
| Number of sessions | 48 | 24 | 25 |
| Average attendance at each session | 28 | 21 | 15 |
In addition 2,333 home ante-natal visits were made during the year.
The scheme continues whereby the doctor and the midwife have a
consultation about their patient on three occasions (at specified intervals)
during the pregnancy. The examinations take place at the patient's home,
the doctor's surgery or at the Local Health Authority's Clinic, as mutually
agreed, but in practice the joint consultation is held in the majority of
cases in the doctor's surgery.
The Ilford Borough Council continued to provide housing accommodation,
where necessary, for midwives employed in the service of the
Ilford Health Area Sub-Committee. At the 31st December, 1957. one
maisonette and one flat were being rented by the County Council from
the Borough Council under this arrangement.
Salvation Army Midwifery Service.—One Salvation Army Midwife
served in Ilford during the year. 49 cases were attended by her, 45 as a
midwife and 4 as a maternity nurse. A Doctor was called in to 19 of these
cases.
Of the infants born there was 1 stillbirth.
Notifications were received from the Salvation Army Midwife that it
was proposed to substitute artificial feeding in respect of 6 infants.