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The scheme continues whereby the doctor and the midwife have a
consultation about their patient on several occasions 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, 1963, one
maisonette and three flats were being rented by the County Council from
the Borough Council under this arrangement.
During 1963, the domiciliary midwives continued to assist in the
training of pupil midwives from the Thorpe Coombe Maternity Hospital,
Walthamstow and Barking Hospital, Barking; eight of the whole-time
midwives have been approved by the Central Midwives Board as teaching
district midwives. The arrangements are for six or more pupils at a time to
come to Ilford for a period of three months, accommodation being provided
in one of the local hospitals or in a private house, 22 pupil midwives
completed their district training in the Area during 1963 and 8 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 Ilford during
the year; 37 cases were attended by them and a doctor was specially
called in to 23 of these.
In one case medical aid was sought to treat an infant with sticky
or watery eyes. The condition cleared satisfactorily.
Of the infants born there were no stillbirths.
There was one death of an infant where the birth had been attended
by a Salvation Army midwife. The age of the infant was 3 days.
Gas and Air Analgesia. — During 1963 gas and air analgesia was
administered in 614 cases (596 attended by the domiciliary midwives and
18 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 qualified.