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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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92
Domiciliary Midwifery Service.— At the end of the year there were
10 domiciliary midwives employed by the County Council whole-time and
1 part-time, in addition to the Non-Medical Supervisor.
During the year 666 cases were attended and a doctor was specially
called in by the midwife to 69 of these.
Of the infants born there was 1 stillbirth.
Three deaths occurred of infants during the first year of life where
the birth had been attended by a domiciliary midwife; in one of these the
infant was under the age of ten days.
The following is a summary of the attendances at these clinics during the year:—
| First Attendances in 1964 | Total Attendances | No. of Sessions | Average Attendance per Session | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenwood Gardens Clinic | 462 | 1,306 | 51 | 25 |
| Mayesbrook Clinic | 292 | 943 | 48 | 19 |
| Manford Way Clinic | 103 | 372 | 26 | 14 |
| Heathcote Avenue Clinic | 85 | 319 | 25 | 12 |
| Marks Gate Clinic | 53 | 149 | 24 | 6 |
| Totals | 995 | 3,089 | 174 | 17 |
In addition 3,559 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 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, 1964, one maisonette
and four flats were being rented by the County Council from the
Borough Council under this arrangement.