London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Mitcham 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Mitcham]
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32
they are unlikely to become redundant until after the end of
the war.
The most practical method at present would be to adapt an
existing house. Such a house would be expected to cost £3,000.
£500 would be necessary for adaption, and equipment would cost
a further £1,000, giving a total capital cost of £4,500 for a hostel
of 15 beds, with nursery accommodation. It would appear that
for this figure of £4,500, a prefabricated building such as are at
present being used for day nurseries might be suitably modified
to provide the individual accommodation required by a hostel of
the long-stay type. To obtain a site providing the necessary
privacy would, however, prove difficult.
The staff for such a hostel would be as follows: —
| 1. Sister in charge (resident) | £130 |
| 2. Nursery Nurse | 175 |
| 3. Cook | 165 |
| Total | £470 |
| Food | £650 |
| Rates | 75 |
| Fuel and lighting | 100 |
| Laundry, telephone, etc. | 75 |
| £900 | |
| Staff | 470 |
| Total | £1,370 |
A number of the girls would be able to contribute to their
cost of maintenance, but the net cost would probably be not less
than £1,000 per annum.
Should such a hostel be established and administered by the
local authorities, the appointment of a special welfare worker at
a salary of £300 per annum would be essential in my opinion.
Such a worker would act as liaison officer between the welfare
workers of the local Voluntary Associations and the hostel, and