Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham]
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position to supervise and control all the infant welfare
work in the borough and to co-ordinate the work of the
Voluntary Agencies with that of the Borough Council.
To efficiently do this it is necessary to secure the services
of a whole-time lady Medical Practitioner as Assistant
Medical Officer of Health for Maternity and Child
Welfare Work under the administrative control of the
Medical Officer of Health. This officer should undertake
the Infant Consultations at present held by four doctors
on the staff of the Fulham Infant Welfare Centre, two
consultations weekly being now held at Greyhound Road,
one at Wandsworth Bridge Road, and one at Eustace
Road, the doctors, with the exception of one who is
acting temporarily in an honorary capacity, being paid at
the rate of £50 a year for one attendance a week. It
is also most desirable that an additional centre should
be established somewhere in the neighbourhood of the
middle of Munster Road, where it is much wanted. This
would mean five Consultations weekly, and these, with
the ante-natal clinic, would occupy all her afternoons.
The Committee of the Fulham Welfare Centre have
informed us that they are strongly in favour of this
proposal, which would secure a uniformity of methods,
which is certainly advantageous.
The Assistant Medical Officer of Health should also
act as Medical Officer to the Babies' Hospital, which is
obviously desirable, as the Consultations should be the
main feeder of the Hospital, and the Committee of the
Hospital are also strongly in favour of the policy. The
other duties that might be undertaken by the Assistant
Medical Officer of Health are:—
(1) To supervise, under the direction of the
Medical Officer of Health, the work of Health
Visitors.
(2) To act as Consultant Medical Officer to the
Maternity Home, when established.
(3) To act as Medical Officer to the Fulham
Nursery.