Report and evidence into the pay, status and conditions of service of medical officers of the army, with evidence concerning the Indian Service.

  • Great Britain. War Office. Committee Appointed to Inquire into the Pay, Status, and Conditions of Service of Medical Officers of the Army.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report and evidence into the pay, status and conditions of service of medical officers of the army, with evidence concerning the Indian Service. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    [/n the following pages the evidence concerning the Medical Department of the Royal Navy is omitted, as no difference of opinion seems to exist as to the status of Officers in that service.^ PART II.—EOYAL NAVY. The position of Medical Officers and the conditions of their service have been frequently under rewiew at the Admiralty. The Order in Council of 1870, which effected considerable changes in the numbers and status of Medical Officers, has been altered by Order in Council of 1st April 1881, which was founded on the report of an Admiralty Committee, presided over by Rear- Admiral Hoskins in 1880. We are glad to be able to state that the Medical Service of the Navy is, so far as we can see, in a satisfactory and contented condition. There is an adequate supply of good-and well-qualified candidates for entry into the Service. The witnesses who have appeared before us have not brought forward any complaints. Relative rank which regulates the position of Medical Officers of the Navy is well understood, and, so far as we can learn, the Officers are satisfied in all respects with their pay and their position in the Service. 10. Establishment. The establishment of Medical Officers of the Navy has been reduced con- siderably in numbers in recent years. ■ The Inspectors and Deputy Inspectors- General of Hospitals and Fleets were fixed at 16 in 1870, at which number those ranks still remain. The various grades of Surgeons were fixed at 460 in 1870, and were reduced to 400 in 1881 ; at present the number on the active list is 372. 11. Pay. The present rates of full pay, half pay, and retired pay, were established in consequence of the Report of Admiral Hoskins' Committee of 1880, and we do not propose any alteration. 12. Service. At the present time there is only one examination for promotion, that from the rank of Surgeon to Staff Surgeon, after which Officers are promoted by seniority to Fleet Surgeons, and then to the administrative ranks by selection. Of this system of promotion we approve. We recommend that Inspectors of Hospitals and Fleets should not be compulsorily retired before the age of 62. We recommend that Naval Officers should have opportunities from time to time, as the needs of the Service will allow, of improving themselves by professional and scientific study. This recommendation will also be found in the Report of Admiral Hoskins' Committee. 13. Dockyards. Since 1887, a saving has been effected in the dockyards of about 1,500/. to 1,700/., and the Medical Director-General reports that the reduction cannot be carried further consistently with safety and efficiency. 14. Yarmouth. Yarmouth Hospital, which could accommodate 400 ordinary patients, at present contains lunatic patients only, 35 Officers and 107 men. The hospital costs about 10,000/. a-year, from which must be deducted the payments made bjr, and on behalf of, the inmates, about 5,000/. Yarmouth Hospital is the only Naval Hospital on the East Coast, and being besides in a very healthy locality, Ave recommend that it be retained. We are, however, of opinion that it ought to be utilized more fully, and we would urge the attention of the Admiralty b o this matter. (2508) b 2