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Ambulance Service.
Until 4th July, a free ambulance service was provided by Southall Borough Council.
The vehicles and driver-attendants were stationed at Salisbury Road Depot. During the
period the total number of cases removed was 3,305 compared with a total of 5,800 for the
full year 1947. These figures show that the use of the Ambulance Service was steadily
increasing, as the 1947 figure was higher by 330 than that for 1946. All users of the
ambulance were expected to produce a medical certificate.
Details of the work are as follows:—

MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE
Health Visiting.
During 1948 the Southall Borough Council provided the services of 8 health visitors
for the purpose of home visiting and clinic attendance. The borough was divided into 8
districts, and each health visitor was responsible for one of these areas, with the duty of
visiting and advising expectant mothers, mothers of young children, and studying the
welfare of infants and school children. As far as possible, each visitor was allocated clinics
to which the mothers and children of her own district attended so that definite contact could
be kept. The schools in Southall were also divided up amongst the health visitors so that,
as far as possible, each health visitor would have direct contact with the teachers of the
school children of her own area. The work also included the following up of infectious
diseases in her area; the following up of defaulters from Dental and Ophthalmic Clinics and
from the Cleansing Station; and she also had certain duties in connection with Special
Clinics, such as the Artificial Sunlight or Anti-Diphtheria Immunisation Sessions.
The Senior Health Visitor was responsible for child life protection, including the
visiting of foster children and children to be adopted, and 1 health visitor had special duties
in connection with moral welfare.
Child Life Protection.
The Senior Health Visitor was specially appointed to deal with child life protection
work. This work continued during 1948 and consisted of visits monthly to foster mothers,
and the inspection of children under their care. Under the Adoption of Children (Regulation)
Act, 1939, the Child Life Protection Officer was required to report on and to keep
under observation all persons who wished to adopt children, and children who were to be
adopted, until such time as legal adoption has been carried out. See Appendix, Table VIII,
for statistics of this work.
Consultant Aid in Difficult Labour.
The "Flying Squad" of the County Council for assistance in cases of difficult labour
was available to medical practitioners in Southall. During the year the squad was called
in 5 times.
Institutional Provision for Unmarried Mothers, Illegitimate Infants and Homeless
Children in the District.
None.
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