Report of Sub-Committee on Out-Patients.

  • Westminster Hospital. Sub-Committee on Out-Patients.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of Sub-Committee on Out-Patients. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/12 (page 8)
    recommend any alteration in the system of admitting Out- Patients.” At St. Thomas' there is no rule limiting the number of new cases to be admitted in one day among the Out-Patients. The Governors have the privilege of recommending by letter without limit, and there is no refusal of treatment to those who apply without letters. There is no scrutiny or discriminative element in operation, as to the means or worldly circumstances of the applicants, but the Medical Officers are understood themselves to make a selection at their own discretion, and practically to limit the number of new cases to be seen in one day. There is no printed Annual Report, but the number of Out- Patients seen in the course of the year are estimated at from fifty to sixty thousand, giving an average of 175 per diem, excluding • Sundays. There are six Medical and Surgical attendants, one of each attending every day, besides the Medical Officers for special diseases—Ophthalmic, Skin Diseases, Obstetric cases—and a Dentist. To the six Assistant Physicians and Surgeons a salary of £100 per annum is paid. The accommodation is on a large scale, and the crowding complained of in other hospitals would seem sufficiently provided against. It is reported that the Medical Officers are often in attendance from 1 to 4 or 5 o'clock p.m. At St. George's considerable changes have been made within the last year or two with a view to remedy evils similar to those complained of here. There is now a limitation in the absolute number of new cases admitted in any one day; and also a dis¬ criminating element at work. The Assistant Secretary receives all applications for admission to the Out-Patients’ waiting-room ; and when in doubt as to their circumstances, the case is referred to the Secretary. If he be net satisfied on the subject of their inability to pay for Medical advice, he is authorised to call in the assistance of the Inquiry officer of the Charity Organisation District Committee for further investigation. The Gfovernors having relinquished their privilege of giving letters of recom¬ mendation for Out-Patients, no practical difficulty appears to be experienced in limiting the number absolutely. It is stated by the Secretary, and his report is confirmed by the members of the Medical staff engaged in the Out-Patient department, that the system works well upon the whole—-with little friction or difficulty—and answers the end in view, of pre¬ venting overcrowding and securing the elimination of the two classes deemed to be unfit, namely, those who are able to pay for medical treatment, and those in the pauper class otherwise pro¬ vided for by the Poor Law Dispensaries. Whether the scrutiny goes far enough, and does or does not satisfactorily answer the end, your Committee understand are questions which have raised some discussion in the Board-room, but without leading to any alteration in the system actually adopted by the Managing Committee.