Maternity Hospitals

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31315, 10 March 1967, Page 12

Maternity Hospitals

Sir, —I disagree with one of the premises upon which your editorial on maternity services is based. To say that the physiotherapist has a medical function in the delivery room and the husband a psychological influence introduces a distinction which frequently does not exist in practice. Either person can combine both roles. The presence of one often obviates a need for the other. Where both parents have been trained for childbirth the husband learns how to coaoh his wife and perform simple medical tasks for her. Where this is not desired, of course, the physiotherapist can provide the support needed. Some couples and their doctors wish the husband to provide support for the earlier stages of labour and the physiotherapist to continue it for the later Stages and for delivery. None of these variations necessarily includes any invariably valid division of functions.—Yours. (MRS) J. A. WYBOURNE. March 9, 1967.

Sir, —I am astounded to read the report of Dr. Paterson’s remarks about the Burwood Hospital. Surely, after the announcement made today by the Minister of Health (Mr McKay), that the expenditure in hospitals had risen by so much, the Burwood Hospital would welcome the physiotherapists’ work, thus enabling the hospital to cut down its drug bill, even by a little. If a surgeon prescribes physiotherapy for a patient, and gets it, surely a gyneacologist is entitled to work with physiotherapy also. There should be no need for Dr. Paterson to “review” the position.—Yours, etc.,