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SECTION 23: DOMICILIARY MIDWIFERY.
There have been no changes In the general arrangements for the service.
The area is at present served as follows:-
(1) Plaistow Maternity Hospital maintain a Part II Training School for pupil
midwives and at present provide 5 trained domiciliary midwives and pupils who work
within the Borough.
(2) Essex County Council maintain a Part II Training School for pupil midwives
at the Lady Raylelgh Training Home, about half-a-mile outside the Borough. It serves
a large part of south-west Essex and provides 2 domiciliary midwives and pupils who work
in that part cf the Borough of West Ham which lies north of the District Railway.
(3) Silvertown and North Woolwich District Nursing Association covers that portion
of West Ham, East Ham and North Woolwich which lies to the south of the Victoria and
Albert Docks. Two District Nurse.-Midwives are provided and deal with a very small
number of deliveries each year.
(4) West Ham Borough employs 4 municipal midwives whose work is confined within
four areas which are to some extent also served by the Plaistow Maternity Hospital service.
Supervision of Midwives.
The Senior Assistant Medical Officer, Maternity and Child Welfare, has continued
to act as the Medical Supervisor of midwives, there being no non-medical supervisor until
towards the end of the year. This doctor undertakes the supervision of the 4 Municipal
Midwives with whom she is in close contact. Less direct contact is maintained with agency
midwives, mainly through their supervisors, who are always helpful and co-operative.
Administration of Analgesia by Midwives.
All the domiciliary midwives at present employed are qualified to administer gas
and air analgesia and have been trained in the administration of pethidine.
The apparatus for the administration of gas and air analgesia ars sufficient to
meet the demand and the arrangements for the transport of this apparatus have been found
satisfactory.
Out of the 519 domiciliary confinements Gas and Air was given to 259 mothers
(approximately 50#) and Pethidine to 105 mothers (approximately 20%).
Refresher Courses for Midwives.
One of the four Municipal midwives attended a refresher course during the year,
the others having attended similar courses in 1948, 1953 and 1953 respectively. The
arrangements for refresher courses for agency midwives are left to the discretion of the
agency.
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