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persons registered and/or upon change of ownership. The remaining four cancellations
were made for the following reasons : bankruptcy of keeper, 1; death of
keeper, 1; premises vacated, 1; home exempted from provisions of Act, 1.
During the year proceedings were instituted against two persons: (i) for
conducting premises as a nursing home without being duly registered in respect,
thereof—defendant fined £50 and ordered to pay 50 guineas costs ; (ii) infringement
by keeper of Council's by-laws in respect of the keeping of registers and receipts,
books—case dismissed on payment to the Council of £2 2s. Od. costs.
In respect of one nursing home the keeper was informed of the Council's intention
to issue an order within 14 days cancelling her registration on the grounds that
(1) the keeper was not a fit person to conduct a nursing home, and (2) the premises
were unsuitable by reason of staffing and equipment. The keeper surrendered her
certificate before the Council's order was made.
There were 25 applications (including three which were subsequently found to
be unnecessary) for registration during the year, of which, at the end of the year
10 had been withdrawn, 1 refused by the Town Planning Committee, and 3 granted,
8 being still under consideration.
The general considerations taken into account by the Council in administering
the Act are fully described in the Annual Report for 1930 (Vol. III, Part I, pp. 53-54).
In 1936 the Council granted 113 exemptions from the provisions of the Nursing
Homes Registration Act, 1927, in respect of premises not conducted for profit. These
exemptions are for a period due to expire on 30th June, 1937 ; the exemption may
be renewed at the discretion of the Council from year to year.
The homes have on the whole been satisfactorily conducted. Improvement
in the cleanliness, general orderliness and in the staffing of homes has continued.
Some of the older homes have closed or have changed ownership. Upon,
change of ownership the new owners were required to fulfil the requirements for a
" new " home.
In circular 1574, dated 30th September, 1936, the Minister of Health drew the
attention of local supervising authorities to the need for ascertaining promptly the
existence of unregistered nursing homes and for taking action to prevent the carrying;
on of such homes, and suggested that the authorities concerned should endeavour
to secure the co-operation in this matter of the medical practitioners in their areas,
The Council prepared a list of registered and exempted nursing homes in the
county of London and a circular to medical practitioners inviting them to notify
the existence of any unregistered nursing homes of which they might become aware.
The Metropolitan Borough Councils have co-operated with the Council by arranging
for a copy of the list and the circular to be furnished to each medical practitioner
in their respective boroughs, and arranging to notify to the Council premises suspected
to be conducted as nursing homes, but not on the list of registered nursing homes,
which might come to the notice of their officers.
Midwifery in
registered
nursing
homes.