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69
Chemists, at 5s. each, which is 10 per cent. below the usual wholesale rate.
During 1929 approximately 270 of these outfits were supplied by Lambeth
Borough Council.
Hospital Beds:—
The Ministry of Health strongly urge the provision of more Hospital beds
and give instances of remarkable reductions in maternal mortality as the result
of hospital supervision of confinements. Several London Boroughs have erected
Maternity Homes and 3 London Boroughs have entered into agreements by which
maternity beds in hospitals formerly controlled by the Guardians are reserved
for Council cases. Poplar Borough have 12 such beds, Hampstead 5 and
Camberwell 12.
Hackney Borough Council has an excellent opportunity of obtaining hospital
beds owing to the re-organisation of maternity bed accommodation at Hackney
Hospital which is now taking place, additional beds will be provided by the
hospital in the immediate future and one entire floor of the hospital will be
reserved for maternity cases. An arrangement could be made to reserve either
one ward of four beds for Hackney cases or to refer cases to the Hospital without
the reservation of a special ward for Hackney cases. The London County Council
are favourably disposed at the moment to such a scheme. Under the Poor Law,
patients were only admitted from Hackney or Stoke Newington to Hackney
Hospital. This restriction will shortly be removed, and accommodation which
might otherwise be reserved for Hackney may be utilised for cases from Bethnal
Green, Stepney or other London areas even further afield. An agreement for
reserving beds for Hackney could be made on lines such as follow:—
Patients who, owing to medical reasons or to unsatisfactory home conditions,
are not in a position to be confined at home to be admitted to the ward,
each patient presenting an admission order, signed by the Medical
Officer of Health.
All arrangements with regard to ante-natal supervision of intending patients
shall be left to the Medical Officer of Health in consultation with the
Medical Superintendent of the Hospital.
The Borough Council to pay to the County Council in respect of each of the
beds a sum computed at the rate of nine shillings per day per occupied
bed. The charge of nine shillings per day shall include all medical
and other attendance including urgent dental attendance while in
hospital—but not the provision of dentures—use of labour room, food,
bedding and medicines, and washing of personal clothing.
If in exceptional circumstances the Borough Council require beds in excess
of the number mentioned, the Borough Council undertakes to make
payment to the County Council for any such additional beds at the rate
per day as aforesaid.
Conclusions:—
The clearance schemes of the Borough Council will offer an excellent
opportunity of instituting really adequate centres for all phases of Maternity
and Child Welfare work. As a temporary measure I would suggest that the
Committee consider establishing an additional ante-natal clinic at Brooksby's
Walk, and an additional clinic elsewhere, say at Mayfield Road, the appointment
of an additional health visitor, a midwife, and a clerk to assist in the additional
clerical work resulting, financial assistance to midwives in order to displace
the "handywoman," provision of 4 hospital beds, and additional nursing
assistance to relieve the health visitors at the various infant welfare and antenatal
centres, so that more time can be spent in visiting and instructional work.
I estimate the first annual cost to the Borough, if these suggestions are
approved, as follows:—