Final report of the Departmental Committee on Tuberculosis.

  • Great Britain. Treasury. Committee on Tuberculosis.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Final report of the Departmental Committee on Tuberculosis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/226 page 5
    5. Special attention was paid to the duties and qualifications of the heads of dispensaries and sanatoria. The Committee were of opinion that, for the efficient working of the dispensary, the one essential was a skilled tuberculosis officer with high medical qualifications and with capacity for organisation. This officer should be independent of control by any other medical man so far as his clinical duties are concerned, and should work in close touch with the Medical Officer of Health, the general practitioners, and hospitals of the locality, and the medical officer of the several institutions which constitute elements in the co-ordinated scheme. They also laid special stress on the necessity of obtaining the services of suitably qualified and experienced medical practitioners for the senior appointments in connection with dispensaries and sanatoria, and suggested certain minimum requirements which should guide local authorities in making these appointments. 6. The Committee recommended that comprehensive schemes for the provision of these units should be made locally, as a general rule, by the county councils and county borough councils acting in co-operation with the local sanitary authorities in country areas, with the Insurance Committees, and with the other bodies and persons concerned with the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. The Committee emphasized the desirability, in certain cases, of combination between local authorities in order that schemes should be made on the most economical and efficient basis. With a view to the promotion of co-operation they recommended the formation of a consultative committee by the County Council or County Borough Council, which should include members nominated by the Insurance Committee and voluntary organisations. They further recommended that Insurance Committees should agree to contribute annual sums for a term of years to the governing bodies of dispensaries, sanatoria, hospitals, &c., in consideration of treatment to be given at those institutions to patients for whom the Insurance Committees are responsible. 7. The Committee learn with pleasure that the Local Governmeni Boards and the Insurance Commissioners for the different parts of the United Kingdom approved of the recommendations contained in the Interim Report and, in their circulars and memo- randa,* drew the attention of the local authorities and Insurance Committees to’ the Report, and emphasized the desirability of proceeding on the lines indicated by this Committee. The Committee also learn with pleasure that a number of complete schemes on the lines suggested have been prepared and that effect has been and is being given to their recommendations. ‘They desire to say that further consideration has not led them to wish to make any modifications in those recommendations which were purposely drawn with sufficient elasticity to admit of the adaptation of their principles to the requirements of different areas. The Committee wish, however, again to emphasize the need for co-ordinated work and for co-operation among the authorities, bodies, and persons concerned. Tue PreseENT PosItIon. 8. Since the Interim Report was presented two important changes affecting the funds available for the campaign against tuberculosis have been made. The first of these changes is the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and contained in a letter of the 31st July, from him to Mr, Henry Hobhouse, Chairman of the County Councils Association, to the effect that the Government had decided to place at the disposal of the Local Government Boards (in the case of Wales at the disposal of the Welsh Insurance Commissioners) of the three kingdoms annually, a sum of money which would represent, approximately, half the estimated cost of treating non-insured persons, as well as the dependants of insured persons. This money is to be distributed by the Local Government Boards, in pursuance of regulations made by those departments, to local authorities which undertake schemes to be approved by the Departments, for the general treatment of tuberculosis in their areas. _ The Committee have always been strongly of opinion that no campaign against tuberculosis could be instituted with reasonable prospects of success if provision were * Local Goverament Board Circulars, 14 May, 6 July and 6 December 1912; Local Government Board for Scotland Cireular, 29 May 1912; Insurance Commission (England) Memorandum No, 112/L.C., 6 July 1912; Insurance Commission (Scotland) Memorandum No, 78, July 1912 ; Local Government Board for Ireland Circulars, 20 May, 24 July 1912 and 17 January 1913 ; Insurance Commission (Ireland) Memorandum No. 112/1.C., July 1912, and explanatory pamphlet (undated) ; Insurance Commission (Wales) Memorandum No. 1, 22 May 1912 and No. 2, 29 June 1912. A 3
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3