Full description
The Maternal and Baby Welfare Branch of the Department of Public Health was formed in 1925 in order to bring baby, and maternal care under medical supervision and 'the subjects of ante-natal supervision and improvement in maternity practice pressed for urgent and comprehensive action'. (1)
The Branch was responsible for collection of statistics relating to pregnancy, childbirth, post natal and related gynaecological conditions, research into aspects of pregnancy, childbirth and nurturing of small children and supervision of the network of baby health clinics. The Branch addressed the problems of infant and maternal mortality, the high incidence of abortion, and provided a program of community education to promote the value of Baby Health Clinics. (2)
In 1929 the staff of the Division increased enabling the major activities to include: training of medical practitioners and midwives; supervision of midwives' practice and indirectly that of the general practitioner; control and supervision of Private Hospitals; provision of adequate public maternity accommodation; notification and investigation of puerperal septic infection; provision of ante-natal clinics; education of the public; and research. (3)
Services for the pre-school child began to be developed at the baby health centres from 1938. These included weighing and nutritional advice. (4) At the end of 1964, the Division of Maternal and Baby Welfare conducted the following services: 415 Baby Health Centres, 6 Baby Health Centre Services at Migrant Hostels or Aboriginal Stations, 12 Pre-Natal Clinics, 6 Consultant Pre-natal Clinics, 12 Well Baby Clinics and supervised 13 Day Nurseries and Pre-School Kindergartens. (5)
By 1965 the Branch was absorbed into the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health in which it became the Section of Maternal and Infant Care. (6)
The Section of Maternal and Infant Care, was essentially the Division of Maternal and Baby Welfare conducting Baby Health Centres, Well Baby Clinics, Pre-natal Clinics, Preparation for Parenthood Classes and health services to nurseries and pre-school kindergartens. It was involved in screening programmes for inborn errors of metabolism and hearing defects in babies, and lectures to pre-school teacher training colleges. The Bureau continued to exercise these functions until the establishment of the Health Commission in 1973, when it was dismembered in accordance with the reorganisation of this event and regional administration of services. (7)
Endnotes:
1. Report of the Director-General of Public Health for the year 1925 p. 1 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1926-27 volume 1 p. 261.
2. Report of the Director-General of Public Health for the Year 1926 p. 3-5.
3. Report of the Director-General of Public Health for the Year 1929 p. 28 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1931-32-33 vol 4 p. 362.
4. Report of the Director-General of Public Health for the year 1938 p, 79. In NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 vol 5 p. 425.
5. Cummins, Dr. C. J. (2003). A History of Medical Administration in NSW 1788-1973. pp. 183. NSW Health Website https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/about/history/Pages/history-medical-admin.aspx
6. Report of the Director-General of Public Health for 1967 p. 75 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1968-69 Volume 4 p. 203.
7. Cummins, Dr. C. J. (2003). A History of Medical Administration in NSW 1788-1973. pp. 184.
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