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17
Emergency Obstetric Service.—The emergency obstetric unit
attached to Hackney Hospital was used in one case during the year.
The unit was summoned at the request of a private practitioner, the
patient was given a blood transfusion and was subsequently admitted
to Hackney Hospital.
Home Helps.—For a number of years past the Council has
contributed in necessitous cases up to £1 towards the cost of the
services of home helps, provided the Health Visitor reported that
the person to be employed was suitable for this type of work. In
1939 the Council decided to establish a panel of home helps who
would be carefully selected and would be employed by the Council
direct. The commencement of this scheme was deferred owing to
the outbreak of war but was put into operation in July, 1941.
During the year home help assistance was given under the
earlier scheme in 49 cases and under the present scheme in 59 cases.
Payments under the earlier scheme totalled £48 10s. Od. whilst
under the present scheme the wages paid to home helps totalled
£203, and £34 was collected in fees from the mothers.
At the end of the year there were 9 women employed by the
Council as home helps.
The new scheme ensures more efficient service for a larger
number of hours than was possible hitherto and is being used
increasingly by mothers, so that since the end of 1941 it has been
necessary to employ several more women.
Day Nurseries.—On 31st May, 1941, the Ministry of Health
and the Board of Education issued a joint circular on the need for
the establishment of war-time nurseries to facilitate the entry of
women into employment. This circular, together with representations
from the Ministry of Labour and National Service that such
a nursery was needed in the Hackney Wick district of the Borough,
was considered by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and
steps were taken to establish nurseries in the Hackney Wick and
South Hackney areas. Since the close of the year the Ministry of
Labour and National Service has intimated that nurseries are needed
in other parts of Hackney and the Council's programme has been
extended and now envisages the establishment of eight nurseries
which should bring nursery facilities within reasonable access of
any address in the Borough.
The voluntary day nursery, established in 1934 in Sylvester
Path, was open on 256 days in 1941, when the following attendances
were made:—