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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 llford Health Area Sub-Committee. At the 31st December 1960,
one maisonette and two flats were being rented by the County Council
from the Borough Council under this arrangement.
Since the 1st January 1960, the domiciliary midwives have
assisted in the training of pupil midwives from the Thorpe Coombe
Maternity Hospital, Walthamstow; eight of the whole-time midwives have
been approved by the Central Midwives Board as teaching district
midwives. The arrangements are for four or five pupil midwives to come
to llford at a time for a period of three months, accommodation being
provided in one of the local hospitals or in a private house. 17 pupil
midwives completed their district training in the Area during 1960 and
4 were still undertaking this training at the 31st December
Salvation Army Midwifery Service. - One Salvation Army midwife,
with a further midwife assisting her as required, served in llford
during the year. 63 cases were attended by them and a doctor was called
in to 31 of these.
Of the infants born there were two stillbirths.
Gas and Air Analgesia. - During 1960 gas and air analgesia
was administered in 554 cases (504 attended by the domiciliary midwives
and 50 by the Salvation Army midwives)
All the domiciliary midwives employed at the end of the year
were qualified to administer gas and air analgesia and the Salvation Army
midwives were also so qualified.
Arrangements continued in operation for each of the midwives
using cars in the course of theirduties to hold a machine at their respective
homes to take with them to their own cases and there are also machines
stored at the Ambulance Station for the use of the remaining midwives.
With regard to the latter, the relatives of the patient are requested to
collect a machine, where possible, but when they cannot do this, arrangements
are made for a machine to be transported from the Ambulance
Station to the house by a hired car.
The Salvation Army midwives also have two machines which are
kept at their Branch Home and taken or sent to the home of the patient
when required.