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In order to ascertain the position with regard to any future
extensions contemplated by the voluntary institutions in the town,
a Conference was called between the local authority's representatives
and those of the three voluntary hospitals in Croydon. Of
the three hospitals only the Croydon General Hospital contemplated
extending their accommodation. This extension has now materialised
and makes provision for 65 additional beds so that there are at
the present time in Croydon in general or cottage hospitals 246
medical and 150 surgical beds for adults, 83 beds for children, and
the 65 beds which have not yet actually been put into use at the
Croydon General Hospital. The Voluntary Hospitals admit cases
from outside the Borough to a very considerable extent; in fact
the Purley War Memorial Hospital is to a much greater extent a
Purley Hospital than a Croydon hospital although situated on the
Croydon side of the boundary between Croydon and Purley. In
addition to general medical and surgical and other beds, Mayday
Hospital provides 128 beds for cases not ordinarily admitted to a
general hospital, but for whom there is no alternative provision
in the Borough at the present time, e.g., cases of tuberculosis and
mental cases.
The population of Croydon is growing rapidly, averaging an
increase of 3,000 to 4,000 persons per annum. At the last census
the increase was 22% over the census of 1921. When Mayday
Hospital was established in 1885 the population of Croydon was
estimated at 88,800 and of the other parishes of the then Croydon
Union at 41,200, a population of approximately 130,000. It is
now 239,950 for Croydon alone, while the number of beds provided
in the hospital remains the same as in 1885, except for the addition
of 40 beds for children. On a basis of four hospital beds per 1,000
population the number of general hospital beds in Croydon should
be 960; it is at present 479. The proximity of London, with its
numerous large Voluntary Hospitals, relieves somewhat a position
which would otherwise be perturbing. An aggravation of the need
is the present day tendency for more and more people to sees
institutional treatment, possibly on account of (a) lack of facilities
at home, or (b) the rising complexity and expense of medical
treatment.
As the administration of the Hospital was delegated to the
Public Health Committee on the 1st April, 1932, the Hospital
should be in a position to admit any inhabitant of Croydon seeking
admission on account of illness, in addition to the public assistance
cases which must be admitted. The demand for beds other than