[Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council.

  • East Sussex (England). County Council
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Six marasmic (wasting) infants were admitted to Chailey Heritage Hospital under the County Scheme and 5 to other hospitals. There were no deaths. Six infants received treatment for enlarged tonsils and adenoid growths. Child Life Protection. On the 31st December, 1946, there were 237 children and 140 foster parents on the Child Life Protection Register. 705 visits were made to these homes during the year by the Child Life Pro- tection Visitors and Health Visitors. In one or two instances it was necessary to make other arrangements for foster children who were not being cared for satisfactorily. In addition, there were 14 voluntary homes and 95 preparatory schools, accommodating approximately 343 and 1,107 children respectively, under the age of nine years, to which 219 visits were made. One unsatisfactory establishment was closed. A whole-time Health \'isitor, Miss D. Roff, whose main duty is to inspect these schools, was appointed by the Staff Committee of the County Council and commenced duty on the ist May, 1946. It should be pointed out that the vast majority of foster mothers continue to care for their charges kindly and well. They receive suggestions and advice in a friendly manner, and improvements where desired are brought about by the friendly visits of the Health Visitors, reinforced on occasion by letters and visits from a medical officer. Even on the rare occasions when the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee have had cases of difficulty referred to them the safety and welfare of the children have been secured without recourse to legal action. Ante-Natal Services. The County Council have established or have assisted to establish ante-natal clinics separately from Infant Welfare Centres in 13 districts ; in addition, ante-natal consultations are held at 33 Infant Welfare Centres at the same session as the infant welfare work. In areas not provided with a Centre, or in cases in which women find it impossible to visit a Centre, arrangements have been made whereby medical practitioners undertake ante-natal examinations at an agreed fee. Mothers booked for admission to hospital attend the hospital out-patient clinics. The district nurse-midwives made 13,598 visits to 2,141 expectant mothers during the year. Provision of Obstetric Consultants. The Council have arranged for an Obstetric Consultant to be available for any medical practitioner who needs such assistance in difficulties or in complications arising during preg- nancy or at or after delivery. Consultants were provided in 55 cases, and in some cases they carried out emergency treatment in the patients’ own homes. Maternity Hospital Provision. Maternity hospital treatment was provided under the County Scheme during 1946 for 1,095 women as follows :— Cuckfield Hospital .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 308 Southlands Hospital, Shoreham .. .. .. .. .. .. 347 Hastings Municipal Hospital .. .. .. .. .. .. 223 Sussex Maternity Hospital, Brighton .. .. .. .. .. 149 Kent and Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells .. .. .. .. 23 Crowborough Cottage Hospital .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Tunbridge Wells Maternity Home .. .. .. .. .. 6 Brighton Municipal Hospital .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 St. Mary’s Hospital, Eastbourne .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Other Hospitals or Homes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ii The demand for hospital accommodation for confinement continues to exceed by a large margin the number of available beds, in spite of the suggestion put forward during the year that mothers might be dis- charged from hospital at the loth day if the home circumstances were suitable. This suggestion which is open to certain criticisms, has only been acted on occasionally. Home Helps. The Scheme for the employment of Home Helps was in operation throughout the whole of 1946, when three women were employed whole-time in addition to as many part-time women as could be found to assist. During the year 81 mothers were supplied with either full- or part-time help during the period of their confinement, who otherwise might have had to be admitted to hospital through lack of help at home. Care of Premamre Infants. The County Council provide special equipment on loan, including draught- proof cots, hot-water bottles, warm clothing, special feeding bottles, etc., for use in the care of premature infants. The midwives report immediately to the County Nursing Superintendent each premature birth and the equipment is provided on request. In addition, the services of a Paediatrician (specialist in the treatment of children) are available when required. During the year there were 169 notified premature births ; 75 were born in hospital and 94 at home. 131 of the 169 infants survived the age of one month. Care of Illegitimate Children. Special attention to the care of illegitimate children was continued. 16 unmarried mothers were admitted to Hostels during the year. Adoption of Children [Regulation] Act, 1939. 19 persons gave notice under Section 7 (3) of this Act during 1946. Altogether the Child Life Protection Visitors visited and inspected the homes of 94 persons who proposed to adopt children and paid 176 visits to children who were under supervision pending adoption. The total number of completed adoptions recorded by the Welfare Authority during the year was 102. It is gratifying to be able to report that the initial difficulties in the working of the Act, briefly referred to in my last report, have been smoothed over, the Courts taking full advantage of the information regarding home conditions which is available in the records of the Welfare Authority.