Statement in regard to the Minister of Health's White Paper on the establishment of "A National Health Service."
1944 1944 1940s 18 pages bound to arise over local administration. The time may come when the whole administration of the Health Services, including the Hospital Services. will be diverted from the people themselves to a purely nominated Central Health Board, reponsible [responsible] only to a Minis...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
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| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
[1944]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/224E192F-79D8-452C-BCD6-4DCDD8958F66 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/B9AF12E0-8F6F-4EF1-8F48-79570AF9F33E |
| Summary: | 1944
1944
1940s
18 pages
bound to arise over local administration. The time may come when the whole administration of the Health Services, including the Hospital Services. will be diverted from the people themselves to a purely nominated Central Health Board, reponsible [responsible] only to a Minister of Health and to nobody else. The fabric at present suggested, ansures [ensures] that the 'medical profession' will always have a place in the sun., and a very 'sunny' place at that. 7. CLINICS AND OTHER DERVICES [SERVICES]. Chapter VI of the White Paper is the least attractive part of the scheme. It deals with 'Clinics and other services.', and on careful perusal does not ring genuine. A full home Nursing Service, admittedly a necessity, is casually mentioned as a matter for discussion as it whether it should be taken over by 'Public Authority', or indirectly by public arrangements with other bodies, presumably voluntary charitable organisations. Responsibility for securing these services will 'normally' be exercised by county and county borough Councils. 8. MEDICAL RESEARCH. The Medical Research paragraph is unispiring [uninspiring] without reason, almost to the point of being farcical, Clearly the Government's envisaged 'stand-still policy' on Medical Research - with the Medical Research Council as a bastille to remain untouchable by the democratic representation of the people. 9. REFRESHER COURSES. The Board will have the duty of arranging with appropriate medical schools, post-graduate and refresher courses for general practitioners. The Board, too, will provide the central organisation to which the proposed enlarged joint local authorities will make known their 'special needs in general practice in accordance with approved area plans,'. 10. OTHER HEALTH WORKERS. The White Paper is strikingly silent on other contracts for the employment of other Health Workers co-ordinated with general medical practice such as Health Visitors ; Health Centre Workers of different kinds (masseurs; nurses; raiographers [radiographers]; dispensers etc). It gives no hint as to 'whether these ancillary health workers will be employed by the Central Medical Board or by the appropriate Local Authority or Joint Boards. The terms and conditions of employment of these ancillary workers are important in any medical scheme, even from the point of view of personal traetment [treatment]. The mind of the Government goes quite 'blank' in this respect. Whilst every effort is made to inaugurate a compromise to secure even the minium [minimum] good will of the medical profession, the ancillary health workers are treated with scant courtesy and practically avoidance of reference. The Government's attitude is a tribute to the vocal and forcibly expressed vigilence of the medical organisations. The ancillary health workers, not so well organised or influentially backed by Press or Platform - and indeed with many scattered groups in membership of Trade Unions instead of a well knit all embracing amalgamated Union with a definite domestic health policy - are treated on the Government's measure of their organised strength almost with disdain. Is any more proof needed for a single powerful organisation representing all grades of Health Workers. Apparently the employment of the ancillary health workers is outside the scope of the Central Board's purview. 11. TRAINING etc. Whilst it could not be expected that the Government would go into details on this subject of proposed developments to provide for opportunities for training leading to promotion, one would have expected that the report would have given some general statment [statement] as to policy in this direction. One of the greatest failings of the Health Services today is, that apart from the medical and nursing profession, no provision is allowed for training or promotion. In many instances one's first entrance to the Service in a certain position becomes one's ending. Take the period up to 1930 when Boards of Guardians operated. Examination Boards of various kinds were astablished [established] (Poor Law Accountants and Poor Law Examinations Board) and the certificates of such Boards were accepted as a standard. It was therefore possible for a person to enter the service at the lowest grade, and by study and experience, qualify for the highest positions. In point of fact many of the most capable hospitals administrators up to 1930 commenced on the lowest rung of the ladder. The first step of centralisation i.e. the transfer of functions to County and County Borough Councils introduced a change. Competition for 8.
292/847/2/43 |
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |