View report page

10
In the earlier part of the year, before the introduction of the new
midwifery scheme, patients were referred to independent midwives, and
those wishing to go into hospital were referred by letter to the North
Middlesex Hospital, or the Mothers' Hospital, Clapton. Many patients
oome to the clinics having made their own arrangements, and these
were referred by the independent midwives and by private practitioners,
with many of whom we work in close co-operation.
On the 1st February, 1937, the North Middlesex Hospital started
a scheme of co-operation for the supervision of the patients booking to
go into hospital. Patients were referred back to the clinics until the 8th
month, and were then referred back to the hospital clinics for the last
4 weeks of supervision.
This scheme has continued to work successfully, has brought
more mothers to the clinic, and has provided the means of contact with
many young mothers who would not have been seen until after the birth
of their babies. Mothers booking to go into the Mothers' Hospital,
Clapton, have had this form of shared supervision working for many
years. It has been continued during the present year.
By a scheme of note-taking between the clinics and the central
office at the Town Hall abnormalities arising in any patients are notified
to the health visiting staff, who, in following up the patients and
visiting them in their own homes can find if the advice given has been
followed out, and whether it is producing the required result. If this
is not so, arrangements can be made for the patients to go back to the
clinio at an earlier date than the one given, and it is possible with the
ambulance service (which has been available for many years in Tottenham,
free of charge) to fetch patients to the clinic who are unable to
walk.
Every facility is given to the patients to lessen the difficulty of
meeting expense at the confinement. If they wish they can bring weekly
sums for their midwife's fee, for the Clapton Hospital fee, for the
sterilised outfit, or they can join the Mothers' Bank and save money for
any other purpose.
Many patients make use of this service and many also join the
mothers' classes, where sewing, knitting, preparation of garments and
other social activities are undertaken.