607 Public Health
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607 PUBLIC HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE: 22nd October, 1957. Present: Councillor Mrs. Haslam (in the Chair); Alderman Mrs. Nott Cock; and Councillors Adkins, W. D. Bishop, Mrs. Burton, Mrs. Davies, Eckert, Mansell, Matthews, Mrs. Rivers, Seymour, Shapland and Wood, M.B.E. PART I.—RECOMMENDATIONS. RECOMMENDATION I: General Hospital Service. Your Committee have considered the Medical Officer's report upon the general hospital service in the Borough. Harrow Hospital, which is the only general hospital in the Borough, has 120 beds; whereas the hospital which serves most of the Borough is the Edgware General Hospital and is in Hendon. Edgware General Hospital was opened in 1927 as the Redhill Hospital, and was intended to be the prototype of future municipal hospitals. As the Redhill County Hospital, it was taken over in 1930 by Middlesex County Council with 200 beds, and most of the extensions planned as part of the County Council's hospital programme in 1936 were completed in 1938, further additions being made in 1939. The County Council's conception of hospitals in the County did not provide for a new hospital in Harrow, but it was assumed that the large new hospital to be built in the south-west of Harrow would serve the needs of part of the Borough; and would also relieve the calls upon some of the existing hospitals. Before it was possible to build the hospital, the National Health Service Act came into force in July, 1948, and, as a result, nearly all hospitals in the country passed into the hands of the Minister of Health, most of them to be allocated to one or other of fourteen Regional Hospital Boards; different arrangements were made for the administration of teaching hospitals. Under these arrangements, the Redhill County Hospital became the Edgware General Hospital, and was the largest hospital in the Hendon Group administered by the Hendon Group Hospital Management Committee under the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. In the meantime, the Board of Governors of the Charing Cross Hospital had acquired a site at Northwick Park in the Borough of Wembley, upon which it was proposed to build a new Hospital and Medical School, and, in anticipation of this new hospital, the Harrow Hospital became a contributory hospital of the Charing Cross Hospital. In 1955, the Minister of Health announced that the first stage of the erection of the Charing Cross Hospital at Northwick Park would be in the 1957/58 programme, although difficulties were even then being encountered, as there was more than one Authority concerned, the Minister being responsible for the Hospital itself. The proposed Medical School would be incorporated in the University of London, whose policy and that of the University Grants Com mittee is not favourable to the building of a Medical School on the Northwick Park site, because it is too far from Central London. The Board of Governors have stated that there could be no question of inaugurating the new hospital until it is certain that the School would be rebuilt shortly after the hospital. In August, 1957, the Governors of the Charing Cross Hospital accepted, in principle, a proposal by the Minister of Health that the hospital and its Medical School should be rebuilt upon the site adjoining Fulham Hospital; the Minister's proposals being that, as from April 1st, 1958, Fulham General Hospital and Fulham Maternity Hospital, together with the West London Hospital, shall be administered by the Charing Cross Hospital Board of Governors and that, eventually, Charing Cross Hospital and the Medical School will be rebuilt on the Fulham Hospital site. Thus, Harrow Hospital will no longer be one of the PUBLIC HEALTH 608 contributory hospitals of the Charing Cross Hospital Group, but will become instead one of those included in the Hendon Group of the North-West Regional Board. Your Committee desire to place on record, for the information of the Council, that no proposals have, as yet, been officially made by the Authorities as to how the additional beds, required for the immediate and future needs of the Borough, are to be provided; and your Committee would express their serious anxiety and perturbation, in which they feel sure the Council, as a body, will share. Your Committee accordingly recommend that the most urgent repre sentations be made forthwith to the Minister of Health for an assurance that this problem, which so vitally concerns the well-being of the inhabitants of the most populous non-County Borough in England and Wales, shall not be overlooked; and that the Council would welcome a discussion with the Minister thereon. Resolved to RECOMMEND: That the Town Clerk be authorised to make immediate representations to the Minister of Health, with a view to the early provision of additional hospital beds in the Borough, consequent upon the change in hospital policy in regard to the abandonment of the proposal that the new Charing Cross Hospital should be built at Northwick Park; and that the Minister be invited to meet representatives of the Council at an early date, in order fully to discuss the matter in all its aspects. PART II.—MINUTES. 1288. Minutes: RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Com mittee held on 17th September, 1957, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record. 1289. General Report of the Town Clerk: RESOLVED : That the general report of the Town Clerk (22nd October, 1957) be received. 1290. General Report of the Medical Officer of Health: RESOLVED: That the general report of the Medical Officer of Health (22nd October, 1957) be received. 1291. Report of Chief Public Health Inspector: RESOLVED: That the report of the Chief Public Health Inspector (22nd October, 1957) be received. 1292. Incidence of Infectious Diseases: RESOLVED: That the Committee receive the Medical Officer's report as to the notification of infectious diseases in the Borough, during the following periods, viz:— 8th September to 12th October, 1956; 8th September to 12th October, 1957; 23rd June to 7th September, 1957; 3rd quarter for years 1953 to 1956. 1293. Housing Act, 1957, Section 17: 23 and 25, Shelley Road, Wealdstone: Resolution 1250 (17th September, 1957): The Town Clerk reported that Statutory Notices had been served upon the person having the control of these houses, and that no communication had been received. RESOLVED: That the report be received; that, pursuant to section 17 of the Housing Act, 1957, the Town Clerk be authorised to seal Closing Orders in 609 PUBLIC HEALTH respect of the dwellings known as 23 and 25, Shelley Road, Wealdstone; and that the question of rehousing the occupants thereof be referred to the Housing Committee. 1294. Housing Act, 1957, Section 17: 3 and 4, Marsh Cottages, Marsh Road, Pinner: Resolution 1251 (17th September, 1957): The Town Clerk reported that Statutory Notices had also been served upon the Middlesex County Council (who received the rents from the properties), and that they would not oppose the making of Closing Orders. RESOLVED: That the report be received; that, pursuant to section 17 of the Housing Act, 1957, the Town Clerk be authorised to seal Closing Orders in respect of the dwellings known as 3 and 4, Marsh Cottages, Marsh Road, Pinner; and that the question of rehousing the occupants thereof be referred to the Housing Committee. 1295. Housing Act, 1957, Section 18: 23, Marlborough Road, Wealdstone: The Town Clerk reported that Statutory Notices had been served upon the persons having the control of the ground floor flat of the above dwelling; that the lessee had stated that she would not object to the making of a Closing Order and would not be present, or represented, at the meeting. RESOLVED: That the report be received; that, pursuant to section 18 of the Housing Act, 1957, the Town Clerk be authorised to seal a Closing Order in respect of the ground floor flat of the dwelling known as 23, Marlborough Road, Wealdstone; and that the question of rehousing the occupants thereof, be referred to the Housing Committee. 1296. Housing Act, 1957, Sections 16 and 17: 18, Byron Hill Road, Harrow: The Chief Public Health Inspector reported that the above dwelling was beyond repair at reasonable cost. RESOLVED: That the report be received; and that the Town Clerk be in structed to serve Notices, pursuant to section 16 of the Housing Act, 1957, upon the persons having the control of 18, Byron Hill Road, Harrow, and upon the owners thereof, and, so far as it is reasonably practicable to ascertain such persons, upon every mortgagee thereof, that consideration will be given thereafter by the Committee to the making of a Closing Order in respect of this property. 1297. Housing Act, 1957: 34-42 (Even, Inclusive), Palmerston Road, Weald stone: The Chief Public Health Inspector reported (a) that, in October, 1955, the Committee, having considered the condition of these properties, referred the matter to the Clearance Redevelopment Sub-Committee, and that that Sub-Committee had formed the opinion that the houses should be dealt with under the clearance provisions of the Housing Act, 1936; and should be included in the second, or third, year of the Council's slum clearance pro gramme; (6) that the Council is now in the third year of such programme, and that a further complaint had been made about one of the dwellings. RESOLVED: That the report be received; and that this matter be referred to the Clearance and Redevelopment Committee for action at the earliest possible moment. 1298. 101-109, Bessborough Road, Harrow: Arising out of resolution 986 (27th November, 1956), the Town Clerk reported that he had opened negotia- PUBLIC HEALTH 610 tions with the owners of these insanitary properties, with a view to their purchase by the Corporation; and that the District Valuer had also reached provisional agreement with the owners, on the following terms:— 101 and 103, Bessborough Road.