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 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Registration of nursing homes
| 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered at beginning of year | 41 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 34 |
| New homes registered | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| Homes registered on change of keeper | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Registrations cancelled—voluntary closure | |||||
| or change of keeper | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Regist ered at end of year | 39 | 38 | 37 | 34 | 33 |
| Inspections | |||||
| medical officers | 60 | 51 | 41 | 42 | 35 |
| public health inspectors | 102 | 96 | 50 | 63 | 84 |
| Homes exempted from registration | 37 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 40 |
The 33 homes registered at 31 December, 1960 provided the following accommodation;
| Number of beds in homes | Number of homes | Number of beds provided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity* | Others† | Total | ||
| 25 or over | 9 | 206 | 219 | 425 |
| 20 to 24 | 5 | 25 | 82 | 107 |
| 15 to 19 | 7 | 17 | 100 | 117 |
| 10 to 14 | 7 | 12 | 75 | 87 |
| 5 to 9 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 29 |
| Under 5 | 1 | — | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 33 | 273 | 496 | 769 |
* Each bed is registered for a maternity, medical or surgical case.
† Numbers include beds for medical and surgical patients which cannot be used if a maternity patient is
accommodated in the same room.
Welfare Committee establishments
Medical supervision of establishments of all types under the control of the Welfare
Committee was continued. The number of designated chronic sick in welfare homes has
remained fairly constant. Close liaison with geriatric units of the hospital service is maintained
by the visiting medical officers of the homes with a view to making arrangements
for the exchange of suitable cases. The problem, however, is complex. Men and women
who have been resident for many years in a welfare home and ultimately become chronically
sick would not necessarily benefit from transfer to a hospital ward, even if sufficient beds
were available. An experimental scheme of regular visits by a consultant geriatrician to
one of the Council's homes seems to confirm this view.
Invalid meals for London
For many years the Council has made a grant.in.aid to Invalid Meals for London, a
voluntary body providing meals for invalids and sick persons. Meals are supplied, on the
production of a medical certificate, to sick persons including the aged, expectant and
nursing mothers, persons discharged from or awaiting admission to hospital, cripples and
invalids, etc. e.g. diabetics, requiring special diets. Meals are delivered by motor van to
the homes of patients unable to attend the dining rooms attached to five centres. Details
of the service provided is shown by the following figures:
1956/7 1957/8 1958/9 1959/60 1960/1
Grant.in.aid £11,500 £11,500 £17,500 £17,163 £21,500
Meals served 187,578 174,011 167,134 172,637 180,291
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