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MIDWIFERY
Staff
As at 31st December, 1971, the staff consisted of:—
1 Principal Nursing Officer (Home Nursing and Midwifery) who
is also Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives.
1 Senior Nursing Officer, who is also qualified to act as NonMedical
Supervisor of Midwives.
7 Whole-time District Midwives.
2 District Nurse/Midwives.
Staff Changes
One District Nurse/Midwife left to undertake full midwifery
duties.
Introductory
The number of home confinements has, as expected and in
common with most other parts of the country, continued to decline
(135 compared with 169 in 1970). The number of early discharges
of patients from hospital to the care of the domiciliary midwives continues
to increase. All these patients in addition to receiving nursing
care after delivery, are visited at home, as early as possible in their
pregnancy to ensure that they have the adequate facilities and help
necessary to be discharged early. This visit also gives the mother an
opportunity to meet the midwife, who will be caring for her, and to
discuss, in the relaxed atmosphere of her home, any anxieties that
she may have.
The midwives have continued to obtain blood samples for the
testing of phenylketonuria by the Guthrie method for babies delivered
at home or discharged from hospital before the sixth day. 692 tests
were made during the year and 33 repeat tests were made. (These
figures compared with those of 1970 show an increase of 87 initial
tests and 12 repeat tests.)
The number of patients delivered by the domiciliary midwives
and their students in the Nelson and St. Helier Hospitals continues to
increase. These patients are discharged home as soon as possible after
delivery, thereby giving them all the facilities of a hospital for the
actual birth, with a minimum period of separation from their
families.
Thirty-nine patients were delivered at the Nelson Hospital and
five at St. Helier by midwives. Every facility is offered to the domiciliary
midwives by the staff in the obstetric visits at St. Helier and the
Nelson Hospitals. The ready co-operation of these hospitals is greatly
appreciated.
Organisation
2 midwives are housed at 28/30 Kings Road, Wimbledon.
1 at ' The CroftMitcham.
1 in a flat rented from the Borough Council,
and the remainder in their own homes.
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