London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
West Ham 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Provision of Facilities for Birth Control.
The arrangement made in December, 1934, between the
Council and the National Association for the Provision of Birth
Control Clinics continues to function satisfactorily. Under this
agreement women (in whom further pregnancy is considered by
the Clinic Medical Officer to be undesirable for health reasons)
may be referred to the East London Women's Welfare Centre,
Burdett Road, E., where they are examined and advised by an
expert medical and nursing staff.
During 1936, 58 patients were referred by the Medical Officers
of the various Clinics for advice regarding Birth Control.
Hospital Accommodation for Mothers.
There are two large Voluntary Maternity Hospitals in the
Borough which are subsidised by the Council for the provision of
maternity beds for women resident in West Ham, viz., Plaistow
Maternity Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End.
In addition there are 45 beds available in the Maternity
Wards of Forest Gate Hospital, Forest Lane, E.7, an institution
administered by the Public Assistance Committee of the Council.
The majority of West Ham patients who enter Forest Gate Hospital
for confinement attended regularly during pregnancy at the
Council's several Antenatal Clinics. Arrangements for admission
are usually made through attendance at the Clinic. There is
close co-operation between the Medical Superintendent of Forest
Gate Hospital and the Clinic Medical Officers, which is definitely to the good of the patients.
Pupilc, midwives from the hospital attend weekly at the medical consultations at the Council's Antenatal Clinics.
| Institution. | No. of Maternity Beds (Exclusive of isolation and labour ward bods). | No. of Admission, 1936. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total. | West Ham Residents. | ||
| Forest Gate Hospital | 45 | 861 | 422 |
| Plaistow Maternity Hospital | 1 56 | 1275 | 908 |
| Queen Mary's Hospital | 45 | 1162 | 352 |
Maternity and Nursing Homes in the Borough.
There are three Nursing Homes in the Borough registered
under the Nursing Homes' Registration Act, 1927, one of these
being the Plaistow Maternity Hospital. Of the two remaining,
one receives chronic medical and senile cases, the other having
accommodation for medical, surgical and maternity cases in addition
to senile patients.
There have been no orders cancelling or refusing registration,
and no applications for exemption from registration.
The homes are inspected by the Senior Assistant Medical
Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare.
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