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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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During 1959 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 | 408 | 131 | 95 |
| Subsequent attendances | 945 | 346 | 335 |
| Totals | 1,353 | 477 | 430 |
| Number of sessions | 49 | 25 | 32 |
| Average attendance at each session | 27 | 19 | 13 |
In addition 1,789 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 3 1st December, 1959, one maisonette and two
flats were being rented by the County Council from the
Borough Council under this arrangement.
Arrangements were made in 1959 for the Domiciliary
Midwives to assist, as from the 1st January, I960, in the
training of pupil midwives from the Thorpe Coombe Maternity
Hospital, Walthamstow. Five of the whole-time midwives
were approved by the Central Midwives Board as
teaching district midwives and the arrangements provide for
four pupil midwives, who are accommodated at the Chadwell
Heath Hospital and remain for a period of three months, to
be received at a time.