View report page

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACTS
Including a Survey of Local Health Services provided under
the Acts since the "Appointed Day".
ADMINISTRATION
All the local health services reviewed in this part of the report are administered
by the Health Committee.
Each of the services laid down by the National Health Service Act has an appropriate
organisation for its administration. Related functions have been grouped together where
considerations of economy or efficiency of administration have indicated, and such groupings
have not been restricted within the boundaries of the National Health Service itself.
Effective supervision and co-ordination have been achieved by appointing senior officers to
exercise responsibility over large areas of the administrative field. Thus the Superintendent
Nursing Officer is responsible for all the Council's nursing services and for their co-ordination
with the domiciliary midwifery service. The Deputy Medical Officer of Health aad the
Senior Assistant Medical Officer for Maternity and Child Welfare divide between them the
direction or guidance of all operations of the service for which medical knowledge or
experience is required: broadly, the latter has charge of the Care of Expectant and Nursing
Mothers and Young Children and Domiciliary Midwifery, acting also as Supervisor of Mldwives,
while the former discharges the remaining responsibilities which include Mental Health,
Vaccination and Immunisation, Prevention, Care and After-Care functions and other matters.
The lay administration of all sections of the service is in the hands of a Chief Administrative
Assistant, whose jurisdiction embraces such officers as Duly Authorised Officers,
Home Help Organiser, Ambulance Officer, as well as the general clerical and administrative
staffs. In addition, there is close co-operation between services working in similar parts
of the field, e.g., Home Nursing and Domestic Help; Vaccination and Immunisation, and Child
Welfare, etc. This form of organisation is a flexible one which permits of adjustments to
meet the changing needs of a developing service.
Joint arrangements are In operation with neighbouring local health authorities for
mutual aid In the Ambulance and Mental Health Services, and for the use by mothers and
children of the maternity and welfare clinics nearest their homes irrespective of county
or borough boundaries; and informal co-operation extends to such matters as the sharing
of Immunisation propaganda campaigns, etc. One important arrangement has been made under
Section 63 of the Act whereby the Essex County Council make available to West Ham the home
nursing and domiciliary midwifery services provided by their Lady Rayleigh Training Home.
Co-ordination and Co-operation with other parts of the National Health Service.
There are no formal arrangements for consultation with the Hospital Services, but
this area is very fortunate in the ready understanding which exists both with Regional
Hospital Board and Hospital Management Committees and their officers: cross-representation
of membership has undoubtedly helped. This makes for free and smooth consultation on
individual problems as they arise and so achieves much the same objectives as a standing
joint consultative committee.
The Regional Hospital Board provides specialist clinics facilities within the framework
of the School Health Service which are also used by pre-school children. The
specialties covered are ophthalmic (including orthoptics); paediatric; ear, nose and
throat; dental anaesthetic; and child guidance to the extent of the psychiatrist's services.
27