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CLINICS. The 5 Municipal Clinics continued to function,
together with the Clinics of the two voluntary organisations,
namely, Plaistow Maternity Hospital and South-West Ham
Health Society. At all these Clinics ante-natal and child-welfare
sessions were held regularly. Immunisation against diphtheria
and whooping cough was carried out at the 5 Council and at
South-West Ham Clinics. Owing to the lack of staff, it was
unfortunately not possible to carry out the Council's agreed
policy of holding separate post-natal sessions and toddlers'
clinics.
Medical supervision at the Maternity and Child-Welfare
Clinics was carried out by 2 full-time and 6 part-time medical
officers. In November, 1947, arrangements were made to
transfer the ante-natal clinic work of the 5 Municipal Clinics to
practitioners actively engaged in obstetric work, thus linking
up more closely the work of the Clinics with the. up-to-date and
progressively changing ideas of a modern maternity unit. The
transfer was effected gradually, but by early 1948 Dr. England,
Medical Superintendent of Forest Gate Hospital, assumed control
of the clinical side of the ante-natal service, working in
close association with the Senior Maternity and Child-Welfare
Officer of the Council, and with the assistance of a Municipal
Health Visitor at each session.
MEDICAL OFFICERS. Dr. Marguerite James, temporary
Assistant Medical Officer, left the Council's service in June,
1947, when Dr. Jessica Mestel recommenced full-time duty.
DENTAL OFFICER. The dental service for expectant
and nursing mothers and pre-school children remained in the
capable hands of Mrs. E. Rogers, L.D.S., who attended 8
sessions per week.
MIDWIVES. Midwife Beere, Custom House, resigned in
January, 1947, and was replaced by Midwife Cray, Canning
Town, thus retaining the complement of 4 Municipal Midwives,
who, with the District Midwives from Plaistow Maternity
Hospital, undertook all domiciliary confinements, with the exception
of a small area in Silvertown served by the Silvertown and
North Woolwich District Nursing Association and an area in
North-West Ham served by the midwives from Beechcroft
Road, Leytonstone. Unfortunately, Queen Mary's Hospital,
Stratford, was unable to provide a district midwife for the
area immediately around the hospital, but it was possible for
the other midwives to take over this small district.
NURSERY STAFF. Matron Pflanz, Liverpool Road Day
Nursery, resigned in April, 1947, and was replaced by Mrs.
Corri, who had been for several years in the Council's service,
first as a domiciliary midwife and later as Matron of Howard's
Road Day Nursery, until that nursery closed. There were no
other changes amongst nursery matrons, though there were
considerable changes amongst the senior members of the staff.
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