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Under the new Act I am confident that this overlapping will
disappear, and also that more valuable use will be able to be made
of some of the existing facilities. The agreement with the County
of Essex and with the County Borough of East Ham specify that
cases which are sent from those Authorities for admission to West
Ham institutions need not necessarily be treated in any one particular
institution.
Further careful thought and much time will need to be given
to the problem before the question can be finally settled as to the
best manner in which the beds at the various institutions should
be allocated. (An arrangement to prevent cases being driven from
one institution to another unsuccessfully seeking admission, needs
prompt settlement.) The ultimate object to be aimed at would
appear to be a complete scheme worked in an economical and efficient
manner, and which should entail:—
(a) That every man, woman and child in the Borough may
obtain prompt and efficient treatment, institutional or
otherwise, for any sickness or disability, and that necessary
treatment should not remain unavailable to any
person on account of economical, social or environmental
reasons.
(b) That all proved methods for the prevention of disease
and ill-health (including general hygiene, protection of
food supplies, etc.), shall be practised.
(c) That measures be taken to ensure that any relevant
material accruing from such a scheme be made available
to a recognised Authority in research work.
Important points which might well be provisionally considered
in conjunction with Sections 5* and 13* of the Act are:—
Maternity and Child Welfare.
(1) The advantage or otherwise of building a maternity hospital
rather than having beds, as now, scattered in several
separate and different institutions.
(2) The need of a Convalescent Home for Babies and Children.
(3) The necessity for a trained midwife to be in attendance
on every case of confinement.
Tuberculosis.
(1) The policy as to the advisability of all suitable adult
cases of Tuberculosis being treated in one institution (at
Dagenham or preferably Langdon), thus relieving some
eighty beds at Whipps Cross Hospital for acute hospital
cases.
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