The Hospital Problem : the Report of a Special Conference of Labour, Hospital, Medical and kindred Societies
1924 1924 1920s 12 pages 12 Resolutions. Mr. G. P. Blizard said that he thought it would he a pity if the conference separated without some attempt to express in certain resolutions a common measure of agreement. Those responsible for calling the conference had therefore, in the light of the discuss...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
|---|---|
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
London : The Labour Party ; printed at the Office of the British Medical Association
1924
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/5B9E8995-7464-4D5C-8550-D613DBAA3DDE http://hdl.handle.net/10796/C5C666D1-14DE-49BA-A57E-A933C68B0216 |
| Summary: | 1924
1924
1920s
12 pages
12 Resolutions. Mr. G. P. Blizard said that he thought it would he a pity if the conference separated without some attempt to express in certain resolutions a common measure of agreement. Those responsible for calling the conference had therefore, in the light of the discussions, drawn up four resolutions, which had been circulated, and which it was hoped would form a preamble to a request to His Majesty's Government to set up a committee or commission to consider the whole subject. Lord Somerleyton said that there was probably nothing in the resolutions to which he personally objected, but he represented the King Edward's Hospital Fund at that conference, and his undertaking as a representative was that he should not pledge his organization in any way. Therefore he could not vote on the resolutions. Mr. Courtenay Buchanan (British Hospitals Association) spoke to the same effect. The Chairman said that should the resolutions be passed without dissent the record would make it plain that they were not necessarily the unanimous expression of the conference. The first resolution ran : The accommodation, equipment, and finance of hospitals generally are inadequate and must be supplemented. This was agreed to. The second resolution was agreed to after an alteration in its original wording had been made on the suggestion of Dr. Cox, so that it ran : The geographical distribution of hospitals is uneven, leading to overlapping and the lack of co-ordination. The unit of co-ordination should be such as to include a sufficiently large population to constitute a satisfactory unit. The third resolution was also modified, and in the form in which it was finally agreed it ran : There should be closer relationship between voluntary hospitals themselves; between the voluntary hospitals and the various hospitals provided by local authorities; between the curative and preventive medical services; and between the hospitals and the private medical practitioner. An addendum, "And this renders it desirable that matters relating to all hospitals should be dealt with by one authority constituted on the lines of the present Voluntary Hospitals Commission," was deleted. The fourth resolution gave rise to considerable discussion. It ran : Public assistance is essential if a complete and adequate hospital system is to be maintained, and developments should be directed to preserving what is best in the present system of voluntary management, voluntary subscription, and voluntary service. Mr. Bishop Harman suggested some alteration of phrasing, which, however, it was complained from the other side of the conference, changed the stress of the resolution. For a time it appeared that the conference was too sharply divided to admit of any agreed resolution on this point, and there were appeals to the Chairman to drop the resolution altogether. Ultimately, however, after Lord Somerleyton and Dr. Bolam had made suggestions for an altered phrasing likely to secure general assent, the resolution was agreed to as follows : Some form of public assistance is essential if a complete and adequate hospital system is to be maintained, and the development and maintenance of an adequate hospital system should be provided in such fashion as will preserve the best features of the present voluntary system. Mr. Somerville Hastings proposed a further resolution, which was agreed to : The infirmaries at present under the Poor Law should be thrown open to all citizens and removed from all taint of the Poor Law. The only other resolutions were votes of thanks to the conveners of the conference and the openers of discussions. The conference, throughout the two days' proceedings, was marked by great seriousness and an evident desire on all sides to reach some basis of agreement. Printed at the Office of the British Medical Association, 429, Strand, London, W.C.2.
36/L41/1/8 |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | TEXT |