London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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the local examination of new entrants were continued. Provincial medical officers of
health arranged for the examination of 79 entrants to the Council's service and the
Council's medical officers examined 59 persons for provincial appointments. The
Council's staff medical examiners made 81 home visits to examine members of the
staff who were unable to travel, compared with 84 during 1954.
Food-handlers
in contact
with
infectious
diseases
Arrangements were made for the bacteriological examination of specimens from
members of the food-handling staff in Council estabhshments who had been absent
from work suffering from illnesses which might have given rise to food-borne infection
or who had been in contact with such illness in their own homes. During the year
252 persons (including 58 contacts) were examined, all but 13 of whom were allowed
to return to work after examination. The 13 who were regarded as infectious were
referred to their private doctors for treatment before being allowed back on duty.
FINANCE
Capital
the total capital expenditure on the health services of the Council in the year ended 31st March, 1955, was £84,931, details of which are as follows:
| Ambulance service:— | £ |
| Acquisition and erection | 19,541 |
| Adaptation and equipment | 12,007 |
| Reinstatement after war damage | 13,805 |
| Day nurseries—acquisition, erection, extension, repair | 8,568 |
| District nursing—purchase of cars | 860 |
| Hostels:— Cromwell Lodge—acquisition, adaptation and equip | |
| ment | 2,964 |
| Dover Lodge—acquisition, adaptation and equipment | 4,388 |
| Maternity and child welfare centres—acquisition, | |
| erection, equipment | 16,498 |
| Occupation Centres—adaptation | 2,349 |
| Other Health Centres and estabhshments | 3,951 |
| £84,931 |
Maintenance
The gross cost of the various services in 1954-55—including central administrative charges but excluding debt charges—and the contributions recovered from recipients of the services were :
| Service | Cost | Amount recovered in charges |
|---|---|---|
| £, | £ | |
| Ambulance service | 870,461 | — |
| Day nurseries | 982,980 | 203,251 |
| Domiciliary midwifery service | 171,283 | — |
| General health services (including £163,152 contribution to Metropolitan Borough Councils for salaries of sanitary officers) | 191,275 | — |
| Health centres | 18,581 | — |
| Health visiting | 307,060 | — |
| Maternity and child welfare | 597,698 | 41,229 |
| Mental health | 188,146 | — |
| Prevention of illness— | ||
| Home nursing | 369,956 | — |
| Domestic help | 766,404 | 39,616 |
| Other preventive services | 485,224 | 26,595 |
| School health | 802,844 | 9,112 |
| £5,751,912 | £319,803 |