National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949

22 Removal of doubts as to duties of local health authorities in connection with midwifery.

(1) It is hereby declared for the removal of doubts that the duty of a local health authority under subsection (2) of section twenty-three of the Act of 1946 to secure that the number of certified midwives who are available in the authority's area for attendance on women in their homes as midwives, or as maternity nurses during childbirth and from time to time thereafter during a period not less than the lying-in period as therein defined, is adequate for the needs of the area includes a duty to secure that the midwives so available as aforesaid are enabled to render all services reasonably necessary for the proper care of the women upon whom they so attend.

(2) It is hereby declared for the removal of doubts that the duty of a local health authority under subsection (2) of section twenty-three of the Act of 1947 to make adequate arrangements for the provision to women, by whom or on whose behalf application was made, of the services in their homes of certified mid-wives before and during childbirth and from time to time thereafter during a period not less than the lying-in period as therein defined, includes a duty to secure that the midwives whose services are so provided are enabled to render all services reasonably necessary for the appropriate care of the women upon whom they so attend.