[Report 1935] / Medical Officer of Health, Canterbury Borough / City & County.

  • Canterbury (England). City & County Council.
Date:
1935
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1935] / Medical Officer of Health, Canterbury Borough / City & County. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/58 (page 12)
    General Provision of Health Services in the Area. The Medical Officer of Health has general supervision of all the Health Services of the Council, including the transferred Medical Services under the Local Government Act of 1929. Under this Act the chief changes were the passing into the hands of the Council of the Institution devoted to the treatment of the sick poor and the transfer of the Vaccination and Infant Life Protection Services. The Infirmary has not been appropriated for use under the Public Health Acts. The Nunnery Fields Infirmary.—The number of beds avail- able in 13 wards and 3 shelters are as follows : — For Men (Medical, .Surgical & Chronic Sick)... 51 For Women ,, ,, ,, 55 For Maternity Cases ... ... ... ... 4 For Tuberculosis Cases ... ... ... ... 3 For Children (Cots) ... ... ... ... 7 Total 120 The average number of beds occupied during the year was 85. Arrangements have been made for the retention of 20 beds for the reception of cases belonging to the Kent County Council. During 1935 there were 294 admissions, and some 79 children were treated as In-patients at the Infirmary. The Medical Staff of the Infirmary consists of a non-resident Medical Officer, Matron, with 14 Nurses and one Male Attendant. The Matron and four of the Nurses are fully trained. The Infirmary is only joined to the main part of the Institu- tion by a passageway, and it can be approached by a separate entrance. The kitchen of the Infirmary and the main Institution are common. Six extra bedrooms have been provided in the Nurses’ Home. Woodville Homes.—At these Homes there is accommodation for 60 destitute or neglected children and orphans. It is under the supervision of the Public Assistance Committee. Infant Life Protection.—Several important changes in the law relating to child life protection came into operation on January 1st, 1933. Part 5 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1932, has come into force, and it stipulates that any person who proposes to receive into his home “ for reward ” a child under the AGE of 9 years, instead of 7 as in previous years, must give notice beforehand to the Local Authority.