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Staff.—One nurse suffered from Measles and a nurse and maid
contracted Scarlet Fever. With these exceptions the general health of
the Staff was very good.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE
Council's Centre.—No further progress was made during the
year in bringing to fruition the scheme outlined in last year's report and
agreed to by the Council in 1919.
In March, 1920, the voluntary Child Welfare Society, owing to
increase of work at the parent house "Brookscroft," in the Hoe Street
Ward, relinquished their branch in High Street Ward, and the work was
undertaken by the Council.
The Doctor in charge of the Ante-Natal Clinic, at the High Street
premises, had been for some time superintending the Child Welfare
work of the Voluntary Society—both being held on the same afternoon—
and his services were continued by the Council.
The voluntary lady helpers, with one exception, associated with the
parent society gradually withdrew from the work, and their places were
taken by the three paid Health Visitors, assisted by six ladies, members
of the Ladies' Guild Co-operative Movement. One of these ladies is a
co-opted member of the Statutory Maternity and Child Welfare
Committee.
Partly owing to the increased birth-rate, and partly to the greater
facilities offered, the work has grown very considerably, and the
premises are now totally inadequate and unsuitable.
They consist of a large hall at the rear of the Methodist Church in
High Street, and a small room used for the consultations. The only
means of communication between the two rooms is a small lobby, into
which the outer door opens. The hall is difficult to ventilate in cold
weather owing to draughts, and the lobby is badly situated, and unsuitable
for taking the partially undressed children to the doctor's room,
which is small and inconveniently situated.