London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

London County Council 1955

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

This page requires JavaScript

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 erection19,541
Adaptation and equipment12,007
Reinstatement after war damage13,805
Day nurseries—acquisition, erection, extension, repair8,568
District nursing—purchase of cars860
Hostels:— Cromwell Lodge—acquisition, adaptation and equip
ment2,964
Dover Lodge—acquisition, adaptation and equipment4,388
Maternity and child welfare centres—acquisition,
erection, equipment16,498
Occupation Centres—adaptation2,349
Other Health Centres and estabhshments3,951
£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 :

ServiceCostAmount recovered in charges
£,£
Ambulance service870,461
Day nurseries982,980203,251
Domiciliary midwifery service171,283
General health services (including £163,152 contribution to Metropolitan Borough Councils for salaries of sanitary officers)191,275
Health centres18,581
Health visiting307,060
Maternity and child welfare597,69841,229
Mental health188,146
Prevention of illness—
Home nursing369,956
Domestic help766,40439,616
Other preventive services485,22426,595
School health802,8449,112
£5,751,912£319,803