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9
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
FOR THE AREA.
No important change or development has taken place during
1933 in the general provision of health services for the area. The
needs of the population in regard to diagnosis and treatment of
disease at home or in hospital are adequately provided for by
the various public and voluntary agencies in the Borough, in
London and in the County of Middlesex. Indeed, it is doubtful
whether any area in any country or in any age ever enjoyed such
facilities. The centres, clinics, homes, hospitals and other
institutions which cater for special diseases or special groups or
classes of persons are almost unlimited in number and variety.
Specialisation has reached a high pitch, and the provision of
hospital beds is on a correspondingly generous scale.
Same interesting figures were provided recently regarding
hospital provision in the metropolis in comparison with that for
other populations. The number of beds provided (municipal and
voluntary) for all purposes (medical, surgical, fever, mental, etc.)
per 1,000 of the population is stated to be: —
9.47 in England and Wales
7.86 in Scotland
7.45 in U.S.A.
8.05 in Germany
6.87 in Berlin
19.57 in London
Even when allowance is made for the fact that the voluntary
hospitals of London are used by sick persons from all over the
country and from abroad, it will be seen that London is provided
on a scale greatly in excess of the average for this and other
countries.
These figures suggest that the time has arrived when it may
he of some advantage for Local Authorities to distinguish
between "health services" and "disease services." The Local
Government Act, 1929, placed upon the major health authorities
the country (Counties and County Boroughs) a heavy obligation
in the direction of hospital provision. It would be unfortunate
if the necessary provision for disease became confused in
the public mind with measures for the promotion of health and