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6l
Training of Pupil Midwives.
All the municipal midwives have co-operated in the district training of pupils
who have already completed six months training at Plaistow Maternity Hospital, and
continue to reside in a hostel attaohed to the hospital, their tutor being a member of
the hospital staff.
Co-ordination of Maternity Services.
The consultations between the midwife and the doctor who provides the patient with
maternity medical service have developed in a gratifying way, and a number of doctors now
go to the municipal ante-natal clinics in order to examine their patients with the midwife.
Ante-Natal Care and Toxaemia.
In May, 195^, the local health authority received a copy of a letter sent by the
Ministry of Health to the Chairmen of those Hospital Management Committees having a
substantial number of maternity beds. This accompanied a memorandum embodying recommendations
made by the standing Maternity and Midwifery Advisory Committee and endorsed by the
Central Health Services Council. This memorandum emphasises the need for close co-operation
between all those who undertake ante-natal care, particularly in relation to the prevention
of toxaemia in pregnanoy. As requested by the Ministry, the Chairman of the West Ham No. 9
Group Hospital Management Committee called a meeting of medical representatives of the
hospital, general practitioners' and local health authorities (East and West Ham) to
discuss this memorandum.
Meetings were held on October 3rd and October 10th under the chairmanship of
Dr.Comyns, and were well attended. West Ham was represented by the Medical Officer of
Health, the Senior Assistant Medical Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare and the
Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives. Prior to receiving the circular we had already
had several meetings with representatives of the three maternity units in the borough
and had discussed a number of points which now appeared on the agenda. Nevertheless,
useful recommendations for improving co-operation were formulated, and it was very helpful
to be able to include our general practitioner colleagues in the discussions.
Some of the recommendations can be implemented forthwith: others have been referred
to the Local Obstetric Committee. Though the memorandum and the recommendations have served
to emphasize the risk to mothers of toxaemia of pregnancy and the vital importance of early,
continued and co-ordinated ante-natal care, they only underline knowledge which was already
available. Moreover, no administrative action can be effective without the individual
efiort of each and every person connected in any way with the care of the expectant mother,
it behoves every such person to give of his best, by keeping abreast of knowledge and its
applications to his own work. It is also essential that each should have a proper comprehension
of what the other services have to offer, and should make good personal contact with his
colleagues.