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42
In administering the benefit, Insurance Committees are not
empowered by the Act themselves to provide institutions. Their
duty is to make arrangements with suitable persons or local
authorities for this purpose. All such arrangements are required
by the Act to be made to :he satisfaction of the Commissioners.
In the case of those who require treatment in institutions,
the arrangements must be made with persons or local authorities
having the management of Sanatoria or other institutions
approved by the Local Government Board. Where treatment is
required otherwise than in institutions, arrangements must be
made for it to be given by persons or local authorities undertaking
such treatment in a manner approved by the Local Government
Board.
A Departmental Committee was appointed to report upon
the consideration of general policy in respect of the problem,
which should lead local bodies in their action.
The Committee reported that, having regard to the different
classes of institutions which are required, to the variety of the
cases to be dealt with, and to the proper organisation of comprehensive,
efficient, and economical schemes, they were of
opinion that the unit area should generally be that of the County,
County Borough, or in some cases a group of Counties and
County Boroughs.
Last year the Middlesex County Council prepared a scheme
for dealing with Tuberculosis in the County, and for the purpose
divided the County into five Dispensary areas. Area No. 4, in
which Acton is included, comprises Acton, Ealing, Greenford,
Hanwell, Hayes, Southall, and Uxbridge. A head dispensary
will be situated at Ealing, and sub-centres at Acton and Uxbridge.
Premises have now been secured for the purpose of dispensaries.
Tuberculosis Officers were appointed early in 1913, but at the
commencement insured cases only were dealt with. The Departmental
Committee recognised that the provision for dealing with
Tuberculosis when occurring among insured persons could not
be satisfactorily considered as a separate problem, and that
schemes dealing with the whole population should be drawn up
by Councils of Counties and County Boroughs.