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essential to provide one complete new block comprising eight cubicles and
offices and to alter and enlarge Block No. 3 by converting the same into
eight cubicles together with the requisite offices.
The present accommodation at the Hospital comprises 123 beds,
distributed as follows:—
Ward Block No. 1 26 beds for Diphtheria.
„ „ 2 6 beds for Diphtheria (or 7 for
losis patients when the work of the
Hospital permits).
„ „ 3 8cubicle beds
,, ,, 4 10 beds for overflow cases.
,, Nos. 5 and
5a 52 beds for Scarlet Fever.
„ „ 6 12 beds for Tuberculosis patients
(treated under agreement with the
Essex County Council).
,, ,, 7 8 cubicle beds.
There are thus 110 beds for infectious cases, or 18 beds less per 1,000
than is required.
There is no accommodation available at the Hospital in ordinary times
for nursing such cases as Measles, Pneumonia, Whooping-cough, etc.
The Hospital is proving inadequate to the demands made upon it.
For the past two years, only cases of Scarlet Fever which could not
adequately be treated at home have been admitted. The percentage of
Scarlet Fever cases removed to Hospital has dropped from 86.6 per cent.,
in 1926, to 66.8 per cent, in 1928.
The Nurses' Home is full. Six of the Nurses have to be accommodated
in a temporary hut in the grounds'.
Neighbouring Authorities are in similar difficulties, and have
approached this Authority to admit cases for them. There is a considerable
demand in Ilford for Isolation Hospital facilities.
The proposed enlargement and reconstruction of the Hospital in
accordance with the layout plan prepared by the Borough Engineer and
Surveyor makes provision ultimately for an additional 320 beds, with
extension of Nurses' Home, etc.
If the area of Ilford be reduced by 1,116 acres, the total area of open
spaces and land scheduled for development for industrial purposes, and a
figure of 7,354 acres is taken to be built on with an average number of houses
of 14 per acre, by estimating only 4 persons per house, the ultimate population
of the Borough will be 411,824; while if 6 persons per house be estimated
on, the ultimate population will be 617,736. West Ham, with an acreage
of only 4,706 acres, has a population of 315,900. If the present rate of
increase of population in Ilford is maintained, the population of the Borough
in 18 years time will be approximately 400,000.
With the additional land there will be 27.8 acres available for Isolation
Hospital purposes to meet the ultimate requirements of the Borough.