Annual report : 1941 / Essex County Hospital, Colchester.

  • Essex County Hospital, Colchester.
Date:
1941
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1941 / Essex County Hospital, Colchester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    44/56 (page 38)
    Report of the Contributory Schemes Funds’ Committee For the Year ended 31st December, 1941. The past year has been beset with many grave difficulties, and it was most unfortunate that the Organiser, Mr. C. W. Longley, B.Sc., after serving the Hospital for a little over a year, was taken ill. After a slow recovery it was found that any attempt to resume his duties would jeopardise his health, and consequently he sub¬ mitted his resignation, which was accepted with regret. The evacuation of the coastal areas served by the Contributory Scheme has caused the loss of many members, and this has also occurred to a lesser extent in other areas as a result of the calling-up of men and women under the National Service Acts. Furthermore, the Scheme has for various reasons lost some of its Local Collectors, and although others have been good enough to step forward and undertake the work, the loss of such old friends is greatly to be regretted. Thus with so many obstacles to overcome it is considered that the year’s income, £6,880 19s. lid.—a reduction of only £106 15s. 8d. when compared with the previous 12 months—reflects the greatest possible credit upon all Local Collectors. Their selfless labours both for the contributors and for the Hospital are worthy of the highest praise, and the Committee look to them with confidence not only to hold the Scheme together, but to carry it forward from success to success. When the total income of both Colchester (town) and Country Districts Schemes are taken together, it will be observed that the figure, £14,820 Os. 3d., is greater by £223 19s. 9d. than that of the previous year. Again, congratulations and deepest thanks are tendered to all concerned. The Committee must call attention to the facts, that as a result of the increased cost of all materials and labour, and the purchase tax—from which hospitals are not exempt—the average cost of each in-patient per week has leapt to £3 18s. 10j;d., and the average cost of each out-patient to 13s. 4d. Further, the Committee have paid £1,148 6s. to other Institutions (compared with £779 2s. 6d. in 1940) for hospital treatment of members of the Schemes which was not obtained at the Essex County Hospital. Despite these heavily increased charges, the Committee have not yet asked