HC Deb 24 January 1918 vol 101 cc1268-9

Every council of a county or county borough shall be the local supervising authority over midwives within the area of the county or county borough. It shall be the duty of the local supervising authority, by themselves, or by their medical officer acting under their instruction—

  1. (1) to exercise general supervision over all midwives practising within their district in accordance with the rules to be laid down under this Act;
  2. (2) to investigate charges of malpractice, negligence, or misconduct, on the part of any midwife practising within their district, and, should a primâ facie case be established, to report the same to the Board;
  3. (3) to suspend any midwife from practice, in accordance with the rules under this Act, if such suspension appears necessary in order to prevent the spread of infection;
  4. (4) to report at once to the Board the name of any midwife practising in their district convicted of an offence under this Act;
  5. (5) to report at once to the Board the death of any midwife or any change 1269 in the name and address of any midwife in their district, so that the necessary alteration may be made in the roll;
  6. (6) to supply to the secretary of the Board, during the month of January of each year, the names and addresses of all midwives who during the preceding year have notified their intention to practise within their district, and to keep a current copy of the roll of midwives, accessible at all reasonable times for public inspection;
  7. (7) to give due notice to the effect of the Act, so far as practicable, to persons at the commencement of this Act using the title of midwife, within their district.

The local supervision authority may delegate, with or without any instructions or conditions as they may think fit, any powers or duties conferred or imposed upon them by or in pursuance of this Act, to a committee appointed by them, and consisting, either wholly or to the extent of two-thirds or more, of members of the authority, and women shall be eligible to serve on any such committees.

Mr. SAMUELS

I beg to move to leave out the words "women shall be eligible to serve on any such committees," and to insert instead thereof the words "including at least two women."

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 17 to 28 ordered to stand part of the Bill.