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between shifts, which is particularly important if a high standard of
patient care is to be ensured.
Three midwives are housed at the Nurses' Home, Kings Road,
Wimbledon, one is housed at 'The Croft', Commonside East, Mitcham,
one in a flat leased from the Greater London Council, and the
remaining five live in their own homes.
All midwives, except one who uses a bicycle, use either their own
cars or a car supplied by the Authority.
Maternity Cases Attended
There were 364 domiciliary confinements reported and 2,431
hospital confinements during the year. This shows a reduction of 158
on the figure for 1966. Midwives employed by the Authority attended
363 (360 where a doctor was booked and three where no doctor was
booked) of the 364 domiciliary cases.
Inhalational Analgesia
All the Authority's midwives are qualified to administer inhalational
analgesia (trilene and gas and oxygen) in accordance with the
rules of the Central Midwives Board.
During the year district midwives administered inhalational
analgesics to mothers as follows:—
Gas and oxgen—260 Trilene—44
Puerperal Pyrexia
Two cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified; both were hospital
cases.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
No case of ophthalmia neonatorum was notified during the year.
Maternity Outfits
A free issue of maternity outfits is made in accordance with
Ministry of Health instructions, namely, to those patients whose
confinement will be conducted under the National Health Service
arrangement. These are issued by midwives to their patients.
Medical Aid
Medical aid was summoned by midwives in 80 domiciliary cases
including 79 cases where the general practitioner had arranged to
provide the patient with maternity medical services under the National
Health Service Act. The Authority was liable for the payment of the
practitioner's fees in the one case where no doctor was booked.
Early Discharges from Maternity Hospitals
The numbers of discharges from hospital before the tenth day
of puerperium were as follows:—
48 hours after confinement 210
Other discharges before the tenth day 101
Total 311
This shows an overall decrease of 82 on those for 1966.
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