S.I. No. 169/1954 - Health (Duties of Midwives) Order, 1954.

S.I. No. 169 of 1954.

HEALTH (DUTIES OF MIDWIVES) ORDER, 1954.

The Minister for Health, being the appropriate Minister for the purposes of Part II of the Local Government Act, 1941 (No. 23 of 1941) as respects the office of midwife, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 20 of the said Act hereby declares and orders as follows :—

1. This Order may be cited as the Health (Duties of Midwives) Order, 1954.

2.—(1) In this Order—

" the Minister " means the Minister for Health ;

" the general medical services register " means the register established under Article 10 of the General Medical Services Regulations, 1954 ( S.I. No. 102 of 1954 ) ;

" health authority " includes a board of assistance and a board of public assistance.

(2) Other words and expressions used in this Order have the meanings assigned to them in the Health Acts, 1947 and 1953.

(3) A reference in this Order to a dispensary district shall, in relation to a midwife to whom a division of a dispensary district has been assigned, be construed as a reference to such division and references to the district medical officer of the district shall be construed as references to the district medical officer in charge of such division.

3. The duties specified in the First Schedule to this Order shall be the duties of holders of the office of midwife.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

DUTIES OF MIDWIVES.

1. To afford midwifery services to any woman in the dispensary district—

(a) to whom she is required to give such services by the district medical officer ;

(b) by whom or on whose behalf she is requested to give such services being a woman for whom a medical practitioner has undertaken with the health authority to provide medical and surgical services,

(c) by whom or on whose behalf there is presented to her a direction given pursuant to Article 16 of the General Medical Services Regulations, 1954,

(d) by whom or on whose behalf she is requested to give such services being a woman whose name is entered in the general medical services register.

2. In any case in which the assistance of a medical practitioner becomes necessary, to summon the medical practitioner who has undertaken with the health authority to provide medical and surgical services for the woman or, where no such undertaking has been given, the medical practitioner whom the woman may choose and who is willing to accept her as a patient or, where no such practitioner is available, the district medical officer of the district.

3. On the termination of any case in which the assistance of a medical practitioner has not been summoned, to make a report on the case to the medical practitioner who has undertaken with the health authority to provide medical and surgical services for the woman or, where no such undertaking has been given, to the district medical officer of the district.

4. To keep a register in the form set forth in the Second Schedule to this Order of all cases attended by her in pursuance of paragraph 1 of this Schedule and when so required to submit such register for inspection to any medical inspector of the Minister and to the district medical officer of the district and also, when required by the health authority, to submit the register through the said district medical officer for examination by the authority.

5. To observe and execute all lawful orders and directions of the district medical officer of the district applicable to her office.

6. To occupy the dispensary midwife's residence where one is provided and to pay such rent therefor as the health authority, with the approval of the Minister, may determine.

7. Where no dispensary midwife's residence is provided, to reside in such place as the health authority with the approval of the Minister shall determine.

SECOND SCHEDULE.

FORM OF MIDWIFE'S REGISTER.

REGISTER OF CASES ATTENDED BY MIDWIFE.

............................................................ ............................................................ Dispensary District.

............................................................ ............................................................ Name of midwife.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this thirty first day of July, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-four.

THOMAS F. O'HIGGINS,

Minister for Health.