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Regional Hospital Boards have asked that Medical Officers
of Health shall support when necessary on "social grounds," the
recommendations of medical practitioners for the admission of the
chronic sick to hospital. All possible help was given when requested
but even so, at the end of 1950, eighteen elderly chronic sick
patients still awaited admission to a suitable hospital.
The following table shows the position in regard to hospital
admissions considered and supported on "social" grounds.
1. No. of cases at end of 1949 awaiting Hospital admission 19
2. No. of new cases during 1950 considered on Social Grounds 32
3. No. of new cases during 1950 supported on Social Grounds 15
4. No. of old and new cases requiring Hospital admission 34
5. No. of admissions to Hospital during 1950 17
6. No. of outstanding cases at end of 1950 14
It is a pleasure to record the unfailing help and consideration
experienced from the Senior Medical Officer (Dr. DeLargy) at
Langthorne Hospital.
It has been stated (Ref. B.M.J. 1950, Vol. II, p. 699) that
one-half of patients seeking admission to a hospital for the chronic
sick were really long-stay annexe cases if such accommodation were
provided by local authorities. Of these, one-half of this group
(i.e., one-quarter of all patients seeking hospital admission) were
reckoned to be suitable for care at home if provided with adequate
domiciliary medical, nursing and domestic services.
With the disappearance of the former Public Assistance Officer
there now seems to be no person charged with the authority to
require the immediate admission to a suitable hospital of sick persons
who need hospital care and who are willing and anxious for admission.
(c) Infectious Cases.—The position in regard to beds for
cases of infectious disease was at least on one occasion very unsatisfactory
in regard to the admission of an urgent case of whooping
cough with pneumonia. The shortage in regard to this type of
accommodation appears to be one of nursing staff rather than one
of actual bed accommodation.
(d) Maternity.—The effect of the transfer of Thorpe Coombe
Maternity Hospital to the Regional Hospital Board has, somewhat
naturally, been to restrict the admission of Walthamstow patients
who were expected to have a normal confinement other than the
first and in favour of patients from other parts of the Hospital
Group, and presumably requiring admission on obstetric and/or
"social" grounds. At the same time it must be stated that no
patient booking late and requiring hospital accommodation either
on obstetric and/or "social "grounds has been refused admission
to some other maternity hospital by arrangement made at Thorpe
Coombe.