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Ministry of Health Circular (110/46) was received and the
following report was submitted to the Maternity & Child Welfare
Committee:—
"Two full-time maternity home helps are at present employed
in Mitcham and part-time helps are employed when available.
Additional help is necessary as, with a small staff, difficulties arise
owing to over-lapping of dates and owing to the fact that the
expected date of confinement is frequently far from the actual
date of confinement. The increase in the birth-rate and the
shortage of hospital beds have increased the number of home
confinements recently, and there is a great demand for domestic
home helps, and a combined service of domestic and maternity
home helps would be a great advantage, provided the personnel
were available. I understand that several suitable women have
recently applied for positions as full-time home helps.
" If a scheme of combined maternity home helps and domestic
helps were established, I think that to make the scheme a success
I would need a whole-time paid supervisor in this department,
and I would, of course, so arrange matters that she worked in
close liaison with the Superintendent Health Visitor and the
District Midwives.
"I would recommend that the Committee give consideration
to the making of an appointment on these lines."
The appointment of a Home Help supervisor was approved
by the Minister of Health, and Mrs. Law was appointed and commenced
duty in October. She has proved a most efficient and
enthusiastic organiser and the service is already a success.
At the end of the year six full-time and nine part-time staff
were employed. Three cases were receiving the service of a
maternity home help and 14 families were receiving the services
of a domestic help on December 31st, 1946.
WOODLANDS MATERNITY HOME
The number of cases admitted during the year was 292; 27
more than in 1945.
Dr. Housden was appointed Clinical Medical Officer on
April 1st, 1944. Dr. Housden conducts the ante-natal clinics, and