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fully informed of developments in all aspects of public health work. Examples during
1952, were ' The Family in a Changing Society' and ' Tuberculosis and the Public
Health ' at which lecturers included Professor A. Moncrieff, m.d., f.r.c.p., m.r.c.s.,
Institute of Child Health, A. T. M. Wilson, Esq., m.d., b.sc., Tavistock Institute of
Human Relations, Professor Richard Titmuss, London School of Economics and
Political Science, Professor F. R. G. Heaf, m.d., f.r.c.p., Welsh National School of
Medicine, Cardiff.
HOME NURSING
home nursing in London is carried out on behalf of the Council by the undermentioned
voluntary organisations:
24 district nursing associations, employing at 31st December, 1952, the equivalent
of282½ whole-time nurses
2 religious organisations (the Nursing Sisters of St. John the Divine and the
Catholic Nursing Institute), employing between them at 31st December, 1952, the
equivalent of 7 whole-time nurses
The Ranyard Nurses, employing at 31st December, 1952, the equivalent of 115½
whole-time nurses.
Male and female, full-time and part-time, resident and non-resident nurses and
assistant nurses are employed. Eleven of the organisations participate in the Council's
domiciliary midwifery service (see page 60). The activities of the voluntary bodies are
co-ordinated by another voluntary body, the Central Council for District Nursing in
London, which in addition to transmitting decisions of the Council to the home nursing
organisations and, in reverse, collating information for presentation to the Council, is
responsible for such matters as adjustment of boundaries between nursing areas and
arranging for the continuation of the home nursing service if a voluntary organisation
should cease to function in any area.
All these organisations which act as the Council's agents receive grants, the Central
Council for District Nursing in London—£450 a year; the Catholic Nursing Institute—
£900 a year (subject to review should their work expand or contract appreciably); and
the others, 90 per cent. of approved net expenditure on the service. Apart from the
financial control implicit in the expression ' approved expenditure ' the voluntary
organisations have almost complete freedom of action and retain their individual and
independent status.
Premises
The Council is prepared to consider applications from district nursing organisations
for loans to enable them to undertake capital works (e.g., extension of premises), the loan
charges being approved for grant purposes. The successful employment of non-resident
nurses, both male and female, may, however, indicate that extensions to residential
accommodation will be less necessary than has been thought in the past.
During 1952 the Council agreed the preliminary plans and costs of a new building
which the Duchy of Cornwall Estate proposes to erect for an association in South London.
The Council will lease the premises from the Duchy Estate and will sub-let to the nursing
association. Several associations effected considerable repairs and decorations to their
nurses' homes in order to bring them up to a reasonable standard. Much detailed checking
of plans by the Council's technical staff is obviated by the associations employing approved
firms of surveyors for this work.
The director of housing and valuer does all in his power to find accommodation
for the Ranyard Nurses, who do not work from district homes, but several requests
were still outstanding at the end of 1952.
Liaison
Liaison with the other local health authority services is maintained at member and
officer level, (a) by a member of the divisional health committee and the divisional
medical officer or his representative representing the Council on the voluntary committee