[Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, Worcestershire / County of Worcester County Council.

  • Worcestershire (England). County Council.
Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, Worcestershire / County of Worcester County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/44 (page 2)
    The welcome relief following the end of the War, has not resulted in any di ninution in the day to day problems encountered. Shortage of Staff, in particular nurses, is well known to every member of the Committee ; Worcestershire has experienced and is experiencing great difficulty in this connection. It became necessary during the latter months of 1945 to close a section of the beds at Knightwick Sanatorium, this step being taken most reluctantly owing to the long waiting list of patients which has existed since the onset of the War. Much thought has been given to future plans to deal with these shortcomings, three of which it is hoped will materialise in the not too distant future :— 1. A General Hospital at Bromsgrove to be administered in conjunction with the Birmingham United Hospital. 2. A Sanatorium at Malvern to meet the needs of Worcester¬ shire, Warwickshire and Herefordshire. 3. A cancer scheme in conjunction with other authorities in the Midland area. It is with regret that I have to record the death of my Chairman, Mr. Roland B. Worth, who was one of the senior members of the Council, and had been Chairman of the Public Health and Housing Committee since 1933. Mr. Worth placed at the disposal of the County Council his house, Lickhill Manor, for use as an emer¬ gency maternity home, which after use throughout the War, was only vacated in 1945 in order to allow him to return to his home, but before this could materialise he developed an acute and fatal illness. My Chief Clerk, Mr. J. P. Holder, M.B.E., retired on 31st March, 1945, after more than 50 years service. This must be almost a record for length of service, but what will be remembered even more was the ability, tact and courtesy which he invariably displayed over this long period. The County Staff wish him many happy years of retirement, and I would add that no County Medical Officer can be more fortunate than I have been in having such a loyal and able colleague for such a long and happy period. Throughout the year, the Department continued to be short staffed, but the willingness with which all members responded to the ordinary and exceptional calls made it possible to carry on and undertake duties which arose out of War conditions. I must again place on record my sincere thanks to every branch of the Health Service for their help and co-operation. Your obedient servant, WYNDHAM PARKER Public Health Department, County Buildings, Worcester. County Medical Officer. November, 1946.