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HOSPITAL AND SPECIALIST SERVICES
The Hospitals in the Borough are as follows: —
Bexley & Welling Hospital, Bexleyheath
26 beds for acute cases
Bexley Maternity Hospital, Bexleyheath
31 beds for maternity cases
Russell Stoneham Hospital, Crayford
28 beds for maternity cases
Erith & District Hospital, Erith
45 beds for acute cases
Hainault Maternity Hospital, Erith
20 beds for maternity cases
Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup
A general hospital with 354 beds, mainly for
acute cases. A new maternity block with 56
beds and 14 cots for special care cases was
opened in 1966.
Residents are also well served by a number of hospitals in the surrounding areas and in the
County of Kent. The provision of hospital beds for maternity and acute cases is generally adequate,
but difficulties have been encountered in finding beds for chronic sick and senile persons. Persons
suffering from mental illness are accommodated at various hospitals in Kent.
Full co-operation is maintained with the various hospitals in and around the Borough and with
the local medical practitioners. Although formal attachment of Health Visitors, District Nurses and
Midwives to general practices has not been adopted for administrative reasons, the services of all
these categories of officers are readily available on request. A number of medical practitioners hold
special ante-natal sessions for their patients at which the appropriate midwives attend and others
hold well-baby clinics at which Health Visitors are present. Close co-operation also takes place
with the hospitals.
Student Health Visitors and Pupil Midwives are accepted in the department for part of their
training and pupil nurses from Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Bexley Maternity Hospital pay
a visit to the department in the course of their training.
The number of nursing homes registered with the Council under the Public Health Act 1936
and subsequent legislation is 5.
All nursing homes are inspected regularly by a medical officer and/or a senior nursing officer.
All homes have been found to be satisfactory. Improvements or modernisation have been carried
out at some homes during the period under review.
CO-ORDINATION AND CO-OPERATION
WITH HOSPITALS AND FAMILY DOCTORS
NURSING HOMES
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