View report page

117
The question of the staffing of the Dispensary was raised during
1914 by the resignation of the Tuberculosis Medical Officer in June,
and an Acting Tuberculosis Medical Officer—Dr. H. A. Sansom —was
appointed pending further arrangements. It was felt that, with
the decreasing number of cases of tuberculosis notified, and in view
of the amount of work found by experience to be available for
the Dispensary, a whole-time Tuberculosis Medical Officer was not
necessary. It, therefore, appeared to be advisable to consider the
question of making arrangements for the treatment of Hampstead
residents at neighbouring dispensaries, or, in the alternative, the
possibility of making such arrangements as would permit of the work
being performed by a part-time Officer. After considerable deliberations,
tentative arrangements were made for linking up the Dispensary
with the Mount Vernon Hospital.
Briefly, this arrangement will provide for a Visiting Physician of
the Hospital to act as Tuberculosis Medical Officer, and in addition for
Hampstead residents who are unable to go to the Dispensary to attend
at the outpatients' department of the hospital at Fitzroy Square, which
is easily accessible from that part of the Borough furthest from the
Dispensary. Should the London County Council arrange with the
authorities of the Hospital for the provision of beds at Northwood for
un-insured tuberculous persons, there will be established an admirable
continuity of treatment under the same physician, but, even should the
London County Council not arrange for beds in Northwood, the two
endowed beds there belonging to the Borough, still will be available for
Hampstead persons.
The draft scheme is now being considered by the various central
authorities, and if agreed to will be brought into existence in the
present year.