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37
The top-floor wards of the general hospitals, at which the ward blocks are mostly
multi-storied, had not been used during the war, in view of the greater risk of danger
from air attack. With the improvement in the war situation in the latter part of the
year it was decided to take these wards into use again, and the necessary reconditioning
was authorised.
Various works needed to meet the requirements of the Emergency Hospital
Scheme of the Ministry of Health were carried out, including extended provision
of facilities for " rehabilitation " of patients.
The annexe to the nurses' home at King George V. Sanatorium, the erection
of which was authorised in 1943, was completed.
Alterations and adaptations required in connection with the establishment at
Lambeth Hospital of an ophthalmological ward and of a hearing-aids clinic were
carried out.
Shortly before the war, it had been decided to discontinue the use of the "South
Wharf," Rotherhithe, as a smallpox diagnosing and receiving station, and plans
were under consideration for its replacement by a unit in Long Reach Smallpox
Hospital by the adaptation and extension of the " Pier Buildings," but the outbreak
of war prevented further progress. South Wharf was practically destroyed by
enemy action in 1940, and, although alternative emergency arrangements had been
made for the provision of accommodation for sporadic cases, it was felt, in view of
outbreaks of smallpox which had occurred elsewhere in Great Britain and the wide
responsibilities of the Council in regard to hospital accommodation (which include,
by agreement, the areas of various other local authorities), that the replacement of
the lost accommodation at South Wharf should not be further delayed. Accordingly,
a revised scheme, designed to meet existing difficulties in regard to building work,
was prepared and approved. Owing, however, to shortage of labour, it had not
been possible to begin work before the end of the year.
Preliminary steps were taken for the reopening of Princess Mary's Hospital,
Margate, which has been closed since May, 1940, and expenditure was sanctioned
on the replacement of the engineering equipment (including electro-medical apparatus),
which had been removed and drawn on to meet current requirements of the service
generally.
Further accommodation was needed at the Hammersmith Disposal Depot,
where equipment from closed hospitals and also, where necessary, from hospital
buildings damaged in air raids is stored pending re-issue, and advantage was taken
of the vacation of part of the ground floor of the premises by the London Auxiliary
Ambulance Service in the latter part of the year to incorporate this portion into
the depot, after adaptation for that purpose.
The peace-time arrangements for medical education at the Council's general and
special hospitals were continued with such modifications as were necessitated from
time to time bv war-time conditions.
Medical
education
Courses of instruction in infectious diseases at fever hospitals were attended by
512 students, of whom 76 were women. The scheme whereby, at two fever hospitals,
students became resident while receiving instruction was continued.
In the spring of 1944 a proposal was made that an L.C.C. clinical society should
be formed. The aims were :—
Medical
Society of
the L.C.C.
service
(а) To promote contact between the medical members of the medical
service of the London County Council;
(b) To encourage contact between the medical staffs of London County
Council hospitals, and of neighbouring municipal and voluntary
hospitals, and general medical practitioners ;
(c) To provide opportunities for the study and discussion of clinical
problems;