Annual report : 1949 / Royal Earlswood Hospital Management Committee.

  • Royal Earlswood Hospital Management Committee.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1949 / Royal Earlswood Hospital Management Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    adaptation before being suitable for the care of mental defectives. One villa is now being converted to accommodate 29 female defectives and when completed will be a welcome addition to the resources of the Group. Prior to July, 1948 the Board of Management selected patients suitable for admission to Earlswood; and, pro¬ vided the standard of care satisfied the Ministry of Health advisers, that was the extent of responsibility. Soon after the inauguration of the National Health Service, the South West Metropolitan Regional Board allocated spheres of influence to the Earlswood Group. Earlswood became responsible for dealing with all defectives requiring institutional care in the County of West Sussex. In conjunction with the Manor Hospital, Epsom, Earlswood was required to deal with admissions from East Surrey, and in October, 1949 to assist with the problem in the County Borough of Croydon. Farm- field was reserved for London cases only. It soon became evident that there was much distress in these areas arising from defectives residing at home but beyond the control of their parents. A special effort had to be made, and this is reflected in the greater number of patients cared for to-day. The day-to-day management of the Group has been entrusted by the Regional Hospital Board to a Hospital Management Committee, and the members appointed thereto are mostly former governors of the old Board of the Royal Earlswood Institution. In consequence of this it has been possible to carry on the traditions and atmosphere of the 100 year old foundation. The Committee conceived it to be their duty to safeguard these features to the utmost and have given unstinted co-operation with those objects in view, with the result that the health and welfare of the patients have been fully maintained. The Committee are fortunate in that the Regional Hospital Board re-appointed Dr. H. R. Ferguson as Medical Superintendent, a post which he filled under the old Board of Governors with such conspicuous
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