A :MOH& Child Welfare Clinic
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MOBILE child-welfare clinic has L been put into service by Barrow-inmess Public Health Department. The ticle meets a need created by the !elopment of new housing estates. rthers with small children could not ily reach the main clinic in the centre the town.
Ole medical officer of health. Dr. nes Maclachlan, suggested building mobile unit, and Mr. Thomas Lord, ieral manager of the transport tartment, made available a Leyland gle-decker for conversion.
'tans and specifications were preed by the health department, and transport department overhauled the ssis, stripped• the body of fittings I divided it into three compartments. 'he rearmost compartment is a ting room providing seating for 10 thers. The seats are at a low height, king it easy and comfortable for women to take their children on their laps.
The central compartment is the nurse's and undressing room. The nurse has a small desk, a pair of baby scales and drawers for record cards. There are also seats for mothers and the health visitor, a weighing machine for older children, and a wash basin with hot and cold water. The main water tank is covered by an excrescence upon the roof. Waste water flows into a tank beneath the floor.
The forward compartment is the doctor's surgery and is equipped with an examination couch, wash basin, instrument stand, sterilizer and desk. In fitting out the vehicle, lessons in economic use of spa.:e were drawn from caravan and small-boat practice.
Calor gas is used for the water geysers in the nurse's and doctor's a9 rooms, and for Sapphire convection heaters in all three. Special windows and extractor fans in the roof provide good ventilation. The furniture has a polished mahogany finish and the upholstery is in fawn Vynide. Creamcoloured rubber is laid on the floor.
The vehicle is taken out by an ambulance driver to its selected site in readiness for the afternoon session starting at 2 p.m. Later, he takes it 'back to the ambulance station to be cleaned. The transport department is responsible for its general maintenance.
The vehicle carries a stock of emergency equipment and can be used as an ambulance or first-aid post in case of major emergency.