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so much of any local Acts as may provide for the registration of maternity homes.
The Act applies to London subject to certain modifications which are set out in
Section 11 of the Act, and extends the necessity for registration to include all premises
used for or intended to be used for the reception of, and the providing of nursing
for, persons suffering from sickness, injury or infirmity, but does not include (a)
premises maintained or controlled by a Government Department, a local authority
or a body established by Royal Charter or a special Act of Parliament; (b)
certain premises authorised under the Lunacy Act, 1890, and the Mental Deficiency
Act, 1913. Local supervising authorities have power to grant exemption, renewable
annually, in respect of any hospital or institution not carried on for profit. In
this connection it is to be noted that premises managed by a medical practitioner
are now subject to registration. Their exemption was formerly granted under
Part IV of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1921.
Special provision is included in the Act (Section 1 (3) (e) ) to ensure that in all
maternity homes established after 1st July, 1928, any person attending a woman in
child-birth or nursing any patient in the home must be either a duly qualified
medical practitioner, a certified midwife, a pupil midwife or a qualified nurse.
Section 12 (3) of the Act provides that any person registered in respect of a
maternity home prior to the commencement of this Act shall, if the authority
with which he was previously registered is, for the purpose of this Act, the local
supervising authority of the area in which the home is situated, be deemed
a person duly registered under this Act in respect of that home.
All premises in the County of London known to be used for the reception of,
and the provision of nursing for, persons suffering from sickness, injury or infirmity
have been advised of the main provisions of the Act. All registered lying-in homes
have been specially surveyed for the purposes of this Act. Up to 31st December,
1928, 257 applications for registration of nursing homes have been received
and 204 certificates of registration have been issued, including those issued
to maternity homes under Section 12 (3) of the Act. In addition 17 applicants
have been informed that the Council is prepared to grant registration when a suitable
qualified nurse is nominated to supervise the nursing in the home. In three cases
the Council has refused to issue certificates of registration on the grounds that the
premises were not suitable for registration or were not intended for the provision
of nursing within the meaning of the Act. 98 applications have been received
for exemption from registration under the Act; 59 of these have been granted and
the remainder are being dealt with.
Considerable difficulties were met with in initiating the duties imposed by the
Act and numerous reports on matters of principle were submitted to the Public
Health Committee. On the whole, however, the Act has been administered
harmoniously and the general principles which have been embodied in letters
and circulars to keepers of homes are now understood and acted upon. In
November, 1928, the Public Health Committee received a deputation from the
keepers of nursing homes in the St. Marylebone district when many matters of
difficulty were discussed and decisions arrived at concerning future action. A
marked improvement in cleanliness, general orderliness and in the staff of many
of the homes which have been inspected has been noted, and as time goes on it
is hoped that there will be still greater improvement. By-laws with respect to
nursing homes in the County of London have been prepared in accordance with
model bv-laws issued bv the Ministry of Health.
Children
Act, 1908.
The annual report for the year 1921 indicated fully the powers of the Council
under the Children Act, 1908, Part I, with regard to infant life protection. Fourteen
qualified nurses carry out the work of inspection and act as visitors under the Act.
Further inquiries with regard to unnotified nurse infants and other irregularities are
made by male inspectors attached to the department. At the end of 1928 there