London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
This page requires JavaScript
29
Personal Health Services
Ante-natal mothercraft and relaxation classes are held at 14 clinics.
| Number of women who attended during the year | (a) | Institutional booked | 744 | |
| (b) | Domiciliary booked | 350 | ||
| (c) | Total | 1,094 | ||
| Total number of attendances during the year | 6,623 | |||
| Number of centres provided at end of 1967 | Average number of child welfare sessions held per month | Number of children who attended during 1967 and who were born in:— | Total number of children who attended during 1967 | Total attendances during 1967 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1966 | 1962-65 | ||||
| 20 | 195 | 3,279 | 3,253 | 5,970 | 12,502 | 82,738 |
Care of the Unsupported Mother
For reasons which are not obvious, the number of unsupported mothers needing help is relatively
lower in this borough than in some of its neighbours. A team of medical social workers is therefore
shared with the London Boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. Meetings have been held between this team,
the Deanery social worker, and senior medical and nursing staff, in order to co-ordinate effort as much
as possible.
Close liaison is maintained with the medical social workers in Hillingdon Hospital Maternity Unit,
so that the most suitable help can be given to every mother, not only during her pregnancy and confinement,
but also after the baby is born. This includes advice regarding adoption procedures or help
with day nursery placement, child minding, and so on, depending upon the mother's wishes and the
baby's needs.
There are no mother and baby homes in the borough but financial responsibility is accepted for
Hillingdon mothers in the homes of other local authorities or of voluntary bodies.
There is a small but continuing incidence of pregnancy in girls still at school and in these cases it is
necessary to make arrangements for their education to continue. This is done in collaboration with the
education department and the parents of the girl.
The number of unsupported mothers requiring help is given below, and shows a steady decrease in the last three years:
| 1967 | 1966 | 1965 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admitted to local authority homes | 15 | 16 | 34 |
| Admitted to voluntary homes | 33 | 44 | 61 |
| 48 | 60 | 95 | |
| Interviewed and advised, but not requiring admission to a home | 26 | 20 | 11 |
| 74 | 80 | 106 |