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47
PERSONAL AND SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES
TOTTENHAM AND HORNSEY
(Joint Population 210,540)
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(Section 22)
Notification of Births

Ante-natal Clinics
Throughout the year there was much discussion in the press, on television and
at conferences, and even in the House of Commons, on "Human Relations in Obstetrics"
as a result of an outburst of complaints by women of the way they were treated while
having their babies. There were complaints of long waits at ante-natal clinics,
impersonal treatment and of being left alone when in labour; also of lack of ordinary
respect in the attitude of staff to patients with no consideration for personal
feelings.
The Ministry of Health issued a circular asking local authorities and hospitals
to review their services in the light of these complaints.
At all the ante-natal clinics in this area an appointment system exists and
efforts are made to reduce waiting time however difficult it may be to do so. An
attempt is also made to give each mother a chance to voice her anxieties and to answer
Her queries. All are invited to ante natal mothercraft sessions where the health
visitor gives informal talks and demonstrations with opportunity to discuss any
worries and fears that may arise.
The smaller numbers attending local authority clinics as compared to hospital
help to avoid the "conveyor belt" atmosphere of which patients sometimes complain.
Anxiety is more often associated with arrangements for the confinement and it is
necessary to stress that there has been no improvement in the supply of maternity beds
in the Area though the demand far outstrips supply. Patients who come late for
booking find that the hospitals are already fully reserved and have either to be in
the anxious position of depending on the Emergency Bed Service to find them a bed when