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Hospital for Children and the ophthalmia neonatorum unit at St. Margaret's
Hospital was transferred to White Oak Hospital. The transferred units have
continued to operate at these hospitals during the year.
The hutted additions to Pinewood and King George V Sanatoria, built for the
Ministry of Health under their emergency hospital scheme, were taken out of the
scheme during the year and used by the Government for other hospital purposes.
Hutted
hospitals
Late in the year proposals of the Ministry of Health that the hutted hospitals
at King George V Sanatorium and High Wood Hospital should be handed over
to the authorities of St. Thomas's Hospital and the London Hospital, respectively,
who would, in each case, be responsible for administration, were under consideration,
and have since been implemented.
The work of adaptation of the special hospitals included in the emergency
hospital scheme of the Ministry of Health as casualty hospitals was proceeded with.
Works
Staff
When medical practitioners became liable for calling-up for service in H.M.
Forces arrangements, satisfactory for the time being, were made with the Ministry
of Health and the Central Medical War Committee for the retention, for treatment
of civilian sick, of the Council's staff of medical officers at its hospitals. In addition,
arrangements were made with the Ministry and in conjunction with the Group
Officers of Sectors for the appointment of a number of Emergency Medical Service
medical officers at hospitals to deal with casualties. Especially were these necessary
at fever hospitals to which surgeons are not normally allocated.
In the early part of the year there were a number of vacancies for medical officers
which it had not been possible to fill owing to other demands upon the medical profession
; but, as the number of civilian casualties resulting from aerial bombardment
was not so heavy as was anticipated and as arrangements were made for the Council's
and Emergency Medical Service staff's at hospitals to act in co-operation when
necessary in dealing with both civilian sick and war casualties, no difficulties arose.
Ten American ambulance first-aid units were attached to five hospitals, two
at each hospital; and ten medical officers-in-charge were appointed, five from
hospital staffs, their places being taken by Emergency Medical Service officers,
and five selected by the appropriate Borough Councils from among local practitioners.
The pre-war scheme for utilising the services of consultants at hospitals was
continued, but on a reduced scale.
A simplified procedure was adopted for the appointment and promotion of
staff to fill vacancies. With the exception of appointments of clerical staff and
probationer nurses, appointments and promotions made during the war are on a
temporary basis and are subject to review at any time, and in any event on the
conclusion of hostilities. Except in respect of certain specified positions, delegated
powers were granted to medical superintendents, matrons and stewards to recommend
appointments and promotions, and in the case of a few subordinate grades
to make appointments and promotions direct, subject to formal approval by the
Hospitals and Medical Services Committee.
The staffs of "bombed" hospitals which were so badly damaged as to be
put out of commission for a considerable period were transferred to other hospitals—
to fill existing vacancies as far as possible. Nurses were transferred in many instances
with the patients, but the male and female domestic staff were retained for some
time after general evacuation for the purpose of clearing up or salvaging.
The number of staff serving with H.M. Forces on 31st December, 1940, was as
follows: medical, 15 (including 1 medical superintendent); nursing, 60 female
(including 1 matron) and 157 male nurses, probationers and orderlies; domestic,
322 porters, etc.; clerical, 101 (including 1 steward); radiographers, 7; laboratory
technicians, 8; miscellaneous, 7.