London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Beddington and Wallington 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beddington and Wallington]
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LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITY TRANSFERRED FUNCTIONS
As was explained in the preamble to the report, the following brief
statement summarises the work of the local health authority in respect
of the transferred functions.
The Care of Mothers and Young Children. Infant welfare clinics and
general supervisory control through health visiting were continued by
the Surrey County Council during the year. In general, a high standard
of visiting and a smooth and efficient service were maintained.
Ante-natal and Post-natal Supervision. This clinic, as in previous
years, continued to be held at the Nurses' Home, 57 Montagu Gardens.
During the year, 178 women made 702 pre-natal attendances. This
represents an attendance of 45.41 per cent. of the total number of confinements
which occurred during 1953. Post-natal examinations were also
conducted at this clinic, 17 patients making 17 attendances. As mentioned
in previous reports, however, considerably more women have post-natal
supervision than are recorded here. Those who have institutional
confinements usually return to hospital as a routine a few weeks after
their discharge, and have their post-natal examination conducted by
the hospital Medical Officers.
| Number attending | Total attendances | |
|---|---|---|
| Children under 1 year | 332 | 4,257 |
| Children, 1-5 years | 612 | 3,075 |
| Total attendances | 944 | 7,332 |
Institutional Confinements. Two hundred and ninety-five, or 75.26 per
cent. of births allocated to this district, took place in hospitals and
nursing homes, this being a higher percentage than recorded in the
previous year.
Patients going into hospital for a confinement are classified under
two headings, those whose admission is essential on medical grounds
and those who have unsatisfactory homes in which it would be inadvisable
to conduct a domiciliary confinement. Every case is properly
investigated, and it is only after a visit from the Health Visitor that
patients requiring admission on social grounds are put forward for
consideration by the hospital.
Domestic Help Service. This important branch of social service
continued to meet a great need during the year, both for confinements
and illness in the home. The service is administered by the Divisional
Medical Officer from the Wallington Town Hall, and during the
year one of the W.V.S. ladies continued to act as Home Help
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