London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
Maintenance—The gross cost of the various health services in 1949/50 was £4,167,204 and the contributions recovered from recipients of the services amounted to £206,136. Comparative figures for the year 1963/64 are given below:
| Service | Cost £ | Amount recovered in contributions £ |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulance | 1,549,199 | — |
| Day nurseries | 1,219,099 | 146,274 |
| Domiciliary midwifery | 328,192 | — |
| Foot clinics .. | 136,172 | 12,316 |
| General health (including health education) | 65,121 | — |
| Health centres | 46,510 | — |
| Health visiting | 498,093 | — |
| Home nursing | 694,378 | — |
| Home help | 1,596,587 | 76,099 |
| Maternity and child welfare | 1,085,350 | 118,004 |
| Mental health | 700,451 | 36,696 |
| Prevention of illness, including care and after-care of tuberculosis | 454,608 | 27,510 |
| School health | 1,195,320 | — |
| Vaccination and immunisation | 180,429 | — |
| 9,749,509 | 416,899 |
Whilst to some extent the increase in expenditure over the years can be attributed to the general rise in the cost of staff and services there were many expansions of services, of which three prime examples are shown:
| Service | Cost 1949/50 £ | Cost 1963/64 £ |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulance | 506,946 | 1,549,199 |
| Mental health | 122,926 | 700,451 |
| Home help | 340,008 | 1.596,587 |