London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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West Ham 1949

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL CLINICS. 4076 expectant mothers attended the ante-natal
clinics during the year and made a total of 13,681 attendances. 2l6 mothers attended during
the post-natal period and made a total of 221 attendances. Only a small proportion of these
216 mothers attended the municipal centres. So far no organised attempt has been made to
ensure that every mother attends for post-natal examination. Of the mothers who attend the
municipal ante-natal clinics a number will be delivered in hospital, and others will book a
doctor for maternity medical services. These two groups of patients will be able to make
arrangements for post-natal examination, either at hospital or by their own doctor. Those
mothers who are delivered in their own homes by domiciliary midwives and are not under the
care of their own doctor, should be encouraged to attend the municipal clinic about 6 weeks
after confinement. It is hoped that during the coming year a much larger number will avail
themselves of the facilities offered at the municipal centres. It is not proposed to hold
separate post-natal sessions, but appointments will be given at a time suitable for a mother
who has a young baby. When the mother is unable to make other arrangements for the care of
her baby and young children, she may bring them to the clinic with her.
A full medical examination six to eight weeks after confinement is of vital Importance
to the mother's health and may indirectly affect the welfare of the whole family. Failure to
return to her normal health and vitality, if detected at this stage, can usually be remedied
and much suffering and strain avoided. A large number of gynaecological troubles, which in
later years come to require surgical treatment, could be remedied by simple measures, if
dealt with in the post-natal period.
Throughout the year municipal ante-natal clinics have been staffed by medical officers
from Forest Gate Hospital (under the direction of Dr.H.R.England, the Consultant Obstetrician
at that hospital) and by Health Visitors and Public Health Nurses with considerable experience
in midwifery. The municipal midwives attend the appropriate clinic sessions as often as their
other duties permit

INFANT WELFARE CENTRES.

Number of Individual childrenNumber of Attendances
Children under 1 year230525874
Children 1-5 years391910691

It is satisfactory to record an appreciable increase in the number of children aged
1-5 years who have attended the clinics.
The availability of free medical attention for the young child under the National
Health Service Act, though providing a much needed curative service, does not diminish the
need for a full and efficient preventive and educational health service.
Between the age of 2-5 years the child is passing through a phase of great emotional
and physical development. On the physical side minor deviations from the normal - easily
remedied in the early days - can only be detected by an unhurried and thorough examination,
while on the emotional side much parental anxiety can be relieved and the strain on the child
lightened by a quiet and friendly talk with the mother.
As soon as the necessary medical, nursing and clerical staff are available, it is
intended to implement the Council's proposals and to start regular Toddlers' sessions to
which parents will be invited to bring their children, by appointment, on a day as near as
possible to their 2nd, 3rd or 4th birthday.
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