View report page

The idea of a birth control clinic is by no means new, and a fair number
of authorities run their own, but there have been many enquiries from other
authorities and outside bodies since the scheme was first advertised for details
of its working and copies of the posters, pamphlets, etc., used.
The number of attendances made at the North Kensington Women's
Welfare Centre of Southall residents during 1934 was 54. It has been impossible
to differentiate from these the number referred under this present
scheme although these particulars will be available in future years.
Institutional Provision for Unmarried Mothers, Illegitimate Infants and
Homeless Children in the district.
None.
Ante-Natal Clinic.
Until September, 1934, two ante-natal sessions were held weekly
at the Manor House. In September, when the Branch Library was discontinued
as a clinic and the clinic was transferred to the Mission Hall,
Allenby Road, it was decided to hold a Tuesday morning ante-natal clinic
there for one hour instead of two hours (as at the Manor House) and to hold
a clinic for new infants on the same morning for another hour.
The number of patients seen at the ante-natal clinic during the year
was 244 and the total number of attendances w as 762. These figures show a
small decrease in the number of new patients and a larger decrease in the
number of re-visits compared with last year. This decrease, w hich occurred
mainly in the first six months of the year, is probably in part due to there
having been two changes in the medical officer in charge of the clinic during
that time and also to the increased number of cases which are ultimately
confined in hospital. The hospitals where they are to be confined prefer
the patients to attend there for ante-natal supervision, and as no maternity
hospital is maintained by the local authority, cases which first attend the
clinic and then book up for hospital are usually persuaded to continue their
ante-natal supervision at the hospital. This is theoretically ideal but has
one practical disadvantage—the time, expense and discomfort of a journey
up to London or to Hillingdon. For this reason one of the London hospitals,
University College Hospital, asks to see patients on booking and also one
month before they are due. Between these times the patients are asked
to attend their local clinic and the local clinic acquaints the hospital with any
abnormality which might occur. This is a system which might well be adopted
by other hospitals with advantage to the patient.
26