London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1925
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1925
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| Amount of Family Income after deducting Rent and Insurances. | Charges per week. | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under | £2 | 0s. | 0d. | To be fixed by Committee. | ||||||||||||||||
| Between | £2 | 0s. | 0d. | and £2 | 10s. | 0d. | £1 | 11s. | 6d. | |||||||||||
| ,, | £2 | 10s. | 0d. | and £3 | 0s. | 0d. | £2 | 2s. | 0d. | |||||||||||
| ,, | £3 | 0s. | 0d. | and £3 | 10s. | 0d. | £2 | 12s. | 6d. | |||||||||||
| ,, | £3 | 10s. | 0d. | and £4 | 0s. | 0d. | £3 | 3s. | 0d. | |||||||||||
Note.—The above charges are based on the assumption that applicants receive one Maternity Benefit only, and that the
family consists of not more than one child.
The charges are increased by 10s. 6d. if husband and wife are both eligible for Maternity Benefit;
and decreased by 10s. 6d. (subject to a minimum charge of £1 11s. 6d. per week for all groups
except incomes under £2),
(a) if neither husband nor wife is eligible for Maternity Benefit, and/or
(b) the family consists of more than one child.
Collection of Fees.
(a) Mothers in regular attendance at Infant Welfare Centres.
A lady nominated by the Committee of the Infant Welfare Centre collects the contributions
of patients recommended for admission from that Institution and pays the amounts collected to
the Borough Council.
When an assessment has been made, one collection card is forwarded to the mother and
another to the lady collector. Contributions made by the mother are recorded on each card, and
after payments have been completed, both cards are forwarded to the Medical Officer of Health,
when a receipt for the whole amount is sent to the mother.
Regular weekly payments in advance towards the cost of the confinement in the Maternity
Home are encouraged, and such payments usually commence as soon as the mother has been
informed that her application for admission has been accepted.
(b) Mothers not in attendance at an Infant Welfare Centre.
Patients not in attendance at an Infant Welfare Centre make their payments direct to the
Borough Treasurer, Town Hall, W.8.
Removal of Emergency Cases.
In cases of emergency, application for an ambulance may be made to the Metropolitan Asylums
Board (Telephone No. City 7200). The charge for this ambulance is defrayed by the Borough
Council and reported to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee who may require the patient
to contribute part or the whole of the fee if her circumstances allow.
Registration of Births.
Births are registered as having taken place at No. 28, Marloes Road.
Discharge of Patients.
On discharge of a patient from the Home the Medical Superintendent's report is forwarded
to the Medical Officer of Health, who transmits to the doctor originally sending the case such
information in regard to the after-care as may be desirable.
| 1924.Oct. 1st to Dec. 31st. | 1925. | |
|---|---|---|
| No. applications for admission | 36 | 112 |
| No. of applications accepted | 35 | 111 |
| No. of applications withdrawn | 2 | 5 |
| No. of women confined and discharged during the year | 8 | 109 |
The gross cost of the scheme to the Council was £48 0s. 0d. in 1924 and £582 8s. 5d. in 1925,
making a total to 31st December, 1925, of £630 8s. 5d.
The assessments made in respect of patients admitted during 1924 and 1925 amounted to
£379 3s. 0d., and the amount contributed to date is £255 7s. 8d. Seventy-seven patients have
completed their payments and 56 are still making regular contributions. In 6 cases it is possible
that the Council will be unable to collect all the money due.
The net cost to the Council to 31st December, 1925, was £374 10s. 9d. The Ministry of Health
grant 50 per cent. of this sum.