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17
HEALTH SERVICES OF THE AREA
HOSPITALS
Particulars of the Hospital services for the Area were set out in the
Annual Report of 1954.
General Hospital Services. The provision of hospital accommodation
for the district never kept up with the demand which resulted
from the occupation of the large numbers of houses built in the 1930's.
When the County Council were the hospital authority, the intention was
that the needs of this Area should be met partly by the erection of a new
hospital to the south east of the district. When in due course, hospital
provision became the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, these
proposals went by the board, and instead new provision was to be by the
erection at Northwick Park of the new Charing Cross Hospital. As
recently as the end of 1958 part of this project figured in the Ministry's
hospital programme for 1960/61. Because of the difficulties arising from
the fact that Charing Cross Hospital is a teaching school, this project
in turn was abandoned. Instead, the North West Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board became responsible for meeting the needs of this district.
It is still intended that there shall be a new hospital at Northwick Park.
In the meantime, the Harrow Hospital has been included in the Harefield
and Northwood Group of Hospitals.
Isolation Hospital. Infectious cases are admitted to the Hendon
Isolation Hospital (112 beds) in Goldhawk Avenue, Hendon. With the
lessening demand for hospital beds for the infectious sick, 20 of these
beds are now used for general medical patients, and another 20 for those
with gynaecological conditions.
Maternity Hospitals. Most of the mothers who wish to be confined
in hospital are admitted to the maternity ward of the Edgware General
Hospital (60 beds), or to the Bushey Maternity Hospital (36 lying-in and
14 ante-natal beds) which lies just outside the northern boundary of the
district and which is an annexe to the Edgware General Hospital. Just
over the boundary in another direction in Wembley is the Kingsbury
Maternity Hospital (56 beds) associated with the Charing Cross Group
of Hospitals.
Perhaps because of housing difficulties, possibly for reasons of finance,
and perhaps to have a greater sense of security or safety, a growing proportion
of mothers elect to be confined in hospital rather than at home.
In London and round about, this is causing difficulties. Mothers have to
book very early if they wish to secure a bed for their confinement in
hospital. Difficulties arise when for some reason or another it is necessary
for a mother to be confined in hospital at which she has not reserved a
bed. This could be because she has moved with her family from one
district to another; it could be because of the development of some
circumstances which make a home confinement undesirable. Whatever
the reason, some of these women are placed in the most unfortunate