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7
From the monthly returns received, the following visits were recorded as paid to patients
who came under the Council's scheme :—
Visits paid to patients under 5 years, 487 ; over 5 years, 384.
Total visits paid, 871.
Nursing of Infectious Cases. Cases of Pneumonia, Measles, Whooping Cough and
Ophthalmia Neonatorum, were nursed in their own homes. Home nursing of cases of puerperal
fever has not been necessary.
Midwives. The number of Midwives who declared their intention of practising in the
district during the year was 11, and this number appeared to be sufficient for the needs of the
Borough. The question of provision by the Corporation, of Midwives for women in necessitous
circumstances was considered after receipt of a letter from the Middlesex County Council in
which attention was drawn to the principle underlying Section 5 of the Local Government Act,
1929, and suggesting that the Twickenham Maternity and Child Welfare Committee, as a Maternity
and Child Welfare Authority, should make provision for the supply of midwives for such
necessitous women as are confined in their own homes.
The Middlesex Countv Council found themselves unable to enter into an agreement with
the Corporation in the matter and requested the Corporation to provide the service in question
without any agreement.
The Council acceded to this request and approved the scheme of which the following
is an outline :—
(1) The assistance to be restricted to women desiring to be confined at home.
(2) Contributions to be on a scale approved by the Council and based on the nett
income and the number of persons in family.
(3) The patient to select her own midwife.
(4) The fee payable by the Council to the midwife to be £2 10s. Od. for a first
confinement and £2 0s. Od. for a second or subsequent confinement.
(5) If the patient, who has selected a midwife, is sent into Hospital before or during
confinement, a proportion of the fee to be payable to the midwife.
(6) The midwife's fee to be payable after a report from the Health Visitor that
the case has been completed and satisfactory.
As this scheme was only approved at the end of the year, no opportunity has arisen for
testing it or estimating the number of applications. From past experience it has been found
that almost all mothers in this position in life desire to obtain admission to the Maternity Block
of the West Middlesex Hospital. It would be surprising if this were otherwise when one takes
into consideration the advantages which admission to such a well equipped hospital confers both
in the way of efficient treatment for the patient and the release from the cares of a home where
both money and comforts are lacking.
Nursing Homes. The Middlesex County Council are the supervising authority for Midwives
and for Maternity and Nursing Homes in the Borough.
The number of Nursing Homes in the Borough at the end of the year was 7.
LEGISLATION IN FORCE.
The adoptive acts and the Bye-Laws in force were set out in detail in the report for the
preceding year and remain unaltered.
HOSPITALS.
Smallpox.
The provision of hospital treatment for smallpox is made by the Middlesex County
Council.
For Other Infectious Diseases.
Other infectious diseases are treated at the Borough Hospital, Nelson Road. The total
number of beds available is:—scarlet fever, 12; diphtheria, 12; special or complicated cases, 6;
total, 30.
In my reports for 1931 and 1932, reference was made to a series of Conferences which
had been held among local authorities in South Middlesex, in connection with the proposal to form
a joint hospital district for the area.
Further conferences were held during the year and, after many vicissitudes, it appears
to be decided that a joint hospital district is to be formed comprising the Boroughs of Heston
and Isleworth, Richmond (Surrey) and Twickenham, together with the Urban Districts of
Hampton, Hampton Wick and Teddington. The proposal to include the districts of Feltham,
Staines and Sunbury in the joint district did not materialise, but the success of the new joint
district does not appear likely to be jeopardised by the secession of the three districts last
named.