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Recovery of Fees.—When a midwife summons medical aid a
printed form is made out in triplicate. One is retained by the
midwife, one is sent to the patient's Doctor, and one is sent to the
Medical Officer of Health. On receipt of the latter the midwife is
sent a form which she is requested to have completed in her presence
by the head of the household, giving particulars as to income and
outgoings and then to witness his signature. If the patient wishes
to settle the account for himself, the form is endorsed "able and
willing to pay," in which case the Doctor recovers his fee direct from
the patient. If otherwise, the amount of the husband's weekly
income is verified from his employers and an assessment is then made
by the Sub-Committee on the scale already detailed.
On several occasions it has been found that midwives have been
loth to send for medical aid until the patient's temperature has
reached 100.4 degrees as defined by the Rules of the Central Midwives
Board. There is no question that the rule should be amended to
specify a limit of at least a degree lower. Further reference is made
to the matter under Puerperal Fever and Pyrexia.
A contribution of 15s. was paid towards the fee of the midwife
in one case.
Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1927.—See Public Health
Section of the Report (pages 18-20).