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proposals and the general practitioners agreed to
accept the plan submitted by the Architect. It was
agreed that the accommodation would be shared and
that the local authority would be responsible for
equipping the general practitioners suite.
The Health Committee approved in principle the
Architect's plan for the adaptation of the clinic to
provide accommodation for medical practitioners and
subsequently the Ministry of Health approved the
scheme in principle. The Ministry have also approved
draft proposals under section 21 of the National
Health Service Act 1946. Negotiations about rental
and the terms of letting are now proceeding.
Proposed new Health Centre in South Hounslow
A proposal was agreed in principle for the erection
of a health centre on a site in Maswell Park. Negotiations
on the scheme were proceeding at the end of the
year and it is hoped that building will commence
towards the end of the 1967/68 financial year.
The proposal followed the receipt of a letter in
January 1965 from the Secretary of the South
Hounslow Ratepayer's Association requesting the
provision of adequate clinic facilities for mothers and
young children in the South Hounslow area. The
nearest clinics which are situated at 92 Bath Road
Hounslow and Busch Corner Isleworth are not easily
accessible by public transport. At about the same time
four local medical practitioners asked if they could
be provided with a health centre.
In February 1965 the Health Committee decided in
principle to provide a new health centre in the South
Hounslow area. Several sites were investigated but it
was considered that the only suitable one was on land
known as Hounslow Station Estate south of Maswell
Park Crescent. The Borough Architect confirmed that
this site would be suitable.
Subsequently the Health Committee resolved that
the site known as the Hounslow Station Allotment
Estate be approved for a new health centre to be
known as the South Hounslow Health Centre.
Several discussions were held with the four general
practitioners concerned. A schedule of accommodation
has been prepared and the Borough Architect has
been asked to submit plans for approval. The general
practitioners unit is to be so designed as to allow for
extensions at a later date.
I have also been approached by doctors practising
in other parts of the Borough about the provision of
health centres and several projects are under
consideration.
Midwifery Service Section 23
Domiciliary midwives employed by the Council
attend cases in the former borough of Heston and
Isleworth and Urban district of Feltham whilst in
accordance with a long standing agreement the
domiciliary cases in Brentford and Chiswick are
attended by midwives employed by Queen Charlotte's
Hospital.
Mothers living in Brentford and Chiswick who are
admitted to hospitals other than Queen Charlotte's
for confinement and by arrangement are discharged
after 48 hours, are attended at their homes by a special
midwife employed by the London Borough of Ealing.
There were 26 such cases in 1965.
During the year 637 domiciliary deliveries were
attended by the Council's midwives. They attended a
further 550 cases which were delivered in hospital but
discharged before the tenth day. Midwives employed
by Queen Charlotte's Hospital delivered 126 domiciliary
cases and also attended 116 early discharge
cases.
Payment is made by the Council in respect of cases
living in the Borough who are attended in their homes
by midwives employed by Queen Charlotte's Hospital
and the London Borough of Ealing.
Staff
During the greater part of the year the full establishment
of 15 midwives were employed and there is
no doubt that recruitment has improved markedly
since the rota system of night duty was initiated.
Training
Six of the Borough's domiciliary midwives are
approved teachers for the purpose of training pupils
for part II of the examination of the Central
Midwives Board.
Pupils come from Hillingdon and Windsor
Hospitals and those from West Middlesex Hospital
are expected to participate in the near future. There
is a fortunate tendency for some pupils after
qualifying to apply for posts as domiciliary midwives
in the Borough when vacancies occur.
During the year four midwives attended
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