View report page

113
I. THORPE COOMBE MATERNITY HOME.
Structural Alterations.— In view of the recent opening of
the Home no major alterations have been carried out. A water
softening plant was installed during 1935 and is housed in a
small building adjoining the laundry.
At the time of writing, draft plans for extensions have been
approved by your Council and the Ministry of Health. The
extensions include a new wing to the nurses' home, a new antenatal
clinic in a separate building, a new post-natal block of six
cubicles with staff quarters over, and a small chapel and postmortem
room.
The extensions are urgently necessary owing to the existing
inadequate facilities for the observation and treatment of cases
of puerperal pyrexia and in view of the refusal of bookings at
the rate of some 200 per annum. Bookings have been restricted
to 65 per month since August, 1935.
Staff.
(a) Medical.—Dr. Helen Rodway, M.C.O.G., assumed duty
as Resident Medical Officer on April 1st, 1935. Dr. Rodway
devotes her whole time to the work at the Maternity Home except
for two outside clinics per week.
Following the Council's decision to appoint a whole-time
resident, the 29 general practitioners who had previously formed
a rota for the purpose of answering medical aid notices, gave
notice of their intention to resign.
Dr. Helen Jardine, M.M.S.A., was then appointed as parttime
relief Medical Officer.
Consultants (chiefly obstetric) were called on 24 occasions.
Particulars appear in the Clinical Report.
(b) Nursing.—The progressive increase in bookings necessitated
additional staffing, notably following the survey visit paid
by the officers of the Ministry of Health.
At the end of the year the nursing staff consisted of the
Matron, Assistant Matron and Sister Tutor, 4 Sisters (including
1 for district work), 8 Staff Nurses, 6 Pupils and 6 Probationers.
(c) Clerical, Domestic and Male.—At the end of the year
the general staff consisted of 2 clerks, cook, 13 maids, 4 laundresses,
a temporary needlewoman and a part-time laundress.
The male staff consisted of three whole-time and one halftime
stokers, one general assistant and one part-time gardener.