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into Maternal Mortality. This was followed in May by Circular 1622,
addressed by the Minister to all Maternity and Child Welfare Authorities.
The Circular represents the considered opinion of the Minister
on the action and re-organization which Maternity and Child Welfare
Authorities should take to bring their Maternity and Child Welfare
service up to the standard shown to be essential from the findings of
the Report.
The Circular is likely to be the standard of reference on Maternity
and Child Welfare schemes as far as they relate to maternity work for
some time to come.
The Public Health Committee gave the Circular preliminary consideration
at more than one meeting, and appointed a special subcommittee
to consider the Circular in more detail.
The principal points to which the Medical Officer of Health has
drawn the attention of the Council, points in which the Maternity and
Child Welfare scheme of the Borough is deficient in the light of the
Circular, are as follows: —
(a) Insufficient Maternity and Ante-natal beds.
(b) No provision of Consultant Ante-natal clinics.
(c) No provision of Consultant Post-natal clinics.
These are all matters for consideration in 1938, and as in each case
co-operation between the local authority and the general practitioners
is most necessary, the discussions will be directed to this end, representative
members of the medical profession in the locality being present
at the meetings.
An analysis of the births allocated to the Borough is appended,
from which it will be seen that the demand for institutional delivery
is increasing, the number delivered in hospitals and nursing homes in
1937 being actually greater than those delivered in their own homes:—
Total notified (live and still) births 404
Births in the Home 186
Attended by doctor and maternity nurse 102
„ Nursing Association midwife 79
„ Private midwife 5
Births in Institutions 201
At private Nursing Homes 45
At Carshalton (War Memorial) Hospital 59
At Epsom and Kingston Hospitals 27
Outside Institutions 70
By Registrar iq
By transferred notifications 7
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