Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1934-1965 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5.83 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Housing and Town Planning Act 1909 provided that every County Council should establish a Public Health and Housing Committee and appoint a Medical Officer of Health. the MCC Public Health and Housing Committee first met in February 1910. Health services organised by the Committee included:
a) treatment and care of persons with tuberculosis, including the management of two sanatoria
b) maternity and child welfare services
c) ante-natal clinics
d) birth control clinics
e) day nurseries
f) school medical services
g) general hospital service (particularly post 1930 when Poor Law institutions were transferred to the management of the Council)
h) inspection of nursing homes
i) medical care of the sick poor
j) testing of milk
k) oversight of refuse collection.
After the introduction of the National Health Service in 1946 the Middlesex County Council hospital service was transferred to the control of the Minister of Health. However, the MCC was still a Local Health Authority and as such was given the task of organising a whole range of services, many of which it had also administered before 1946. Under the terms of the National Health Service Act and various other Acts the Council was responsible for the provision of the following services:
a) health centres
b) care of mothers and young children
c) midwifery
d) health visiting
e) home nursing
f) vaccination and immunisation
g) ambulance services
h) prevention of illness, care and after-care
i) domestic help
j) mental health services
k) the School Health Service
l) registration of nursing homes
m) registration of nurseries and childminders
n) supervision of midwives
o) health control services at Heathrow Airport.
The Health Committee retained central control of services but divided the County into ten districts, each with a Local Area Committee to oversee administration of the service in their district. The County Health Department had both central offices and offices in each health area and had a large staff of doctors, dentists, nurses and technical staff, under the supervision of the County Medical Officer of Health.
Care of mothers and young children: maternity and child health clinics were set up in convenient places throughout the County. As well as receiving expert advice on caring for their babies, mothers also received milk foods and vitamins. Ante and post natal clinics provided for the supervision and care of expectant and nursing mothers and the Council employed a staff of midwives to attend maternity cases where the babies were born at home.
Day nurseries: these were provided to meet the needs of children for whom it was considered that nursery provision was required on health grounds, such as the children of unmarried mothers or widows who were obliged to work to support their family.
Care of unsupported mothers: four residential homes for mothers and babies were provided and maintained by the MCC. Three almoners gave social help to such mothers and a grant was paid to the London Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare who also engaged in this work.
Home nursing: male and female nurses were employed to visit the homes of patients and provide nursing care, under the instruction of the general practitioner responsible for the patient.
Vaccination and immunisation: the MCC provided vaccination or immunisation against smallpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.
Ambulance service: until 1952 the Fire Service was responsible for the Ambulance Service on behalf of the Health Committee. The MCC maintained a large fleet of ambulances for the removal of accident cases to hospital and for the routine transport of sick persons to appointments.
Care and after-care, prevention of illness: care and after-care of patients with tuberculosis was undertaken at chest clinics and at the patients' homes. The MCC also maintained colonies for rehabilitation and had its own rehabilitation workshop. Care for the mentally ill was proved by mental welfare officers who arranged for hospital admission if necessary. The Council also ran five adult training centres and eight junior training centres. Other care services included chiropody provided at the MCC clinic in Edmonton; sending convalescent patients on recuperative holidays or stays in rest homes; and providing certain items of nursing equipment on loan to patients being nursed at home. To prevent illness schemes of health education were organised for adults and school children. A full time health education officer was employed to organise and co-ordinate health education.
Domestic help in the home: the MCC provided home helps to assist with the normal duties of running the household when this was required because of the presence in the home of one who was ill, an expectant mother, mentally defective, disabled or elderly. A charge was made but this was adjusted according to income.
Heathrow Airport: the main object of the health control service was to prevent the entry of infectious diseases into Britain. The airport medical staff also carried out medical examinations for aircrew and provided a medical service for employees at the airport.
Repository
Archival history
MCC/HS/LH 1934-1965 Collection 5.83 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council
The Housing and Town Planning Act 1909 provided that every County Council should establish a Public Health and Housing Committee and appoint a Medical Officer of Health. the MCC Public Health and Housing Committee first met in February 1910. Health services organised by the Committee included:
a) treatment and care of persons with tuberculosis, including the management of two sanatoria
b) maternity and child welfare services
c) ante-natal clinics
d) birth control clinics
e) day nurseries
f) school medical services
g) general hospital service (particularly post 1930 when Poor Law institutions were transferred to the management of the Council)
h) inspection of nursing homes
i) medical care of the sick poor
j) testing of milk
k) oversight of refuse collection.
After the introduction of the National Health Service in 1946 the Middlesex County Council hospital service was transferred to the control of the Minister of Health. However, the MCC was still a Local Health Authority and as such was given the task of organising a whole range of services, many of which it had also administered before 1946. Under the terms of the National Health Service Act and various other Acts the Council was responsible for the provision of the following services:
a) health centres
b) care of mothers and young children
c) midwifery
d) health visiting
e) home nursing
f) vaccination and immunisation
g) ambulance services
h) prevention of illness, care and after-care
i) domestic help
j) mental health services
k) the School Health Service
l) registration of nursing homes
m) registration of nurseries and childminders
n) supervision of midwives
o) health control services at Heathrow Airport.
The Health Committee retained central control of services but divided the County into ten districts, each with a Local Area Committee to oversee administration of the service in their district. The County Health Department had both central offices and offices in each health area and had a large staff of doctors, dentists, nurses and technical staff, under the supervision of the County Medical Officer of Health.
Care of mothers and young children: maternity and child health clinics were set up in convenient places throughout the County. As well as receiving expert advice on caring for their babies, mothers also received milk foods and vitamins. Ante and post natal clinics provided for the supervision and care of expectant and nursing mothers and the Council employed a staff of midwives to attend maternity cases where the babies were born at home.
Day nurseries: these were provided to meet the needs of children for whom it was considered that nursery provision was required on health grounds, such as the children of unmarried mothers or widows who were obliged to work to support their family.
Care of unsupported mothers: four residential homes for mothers and babies were provided and maintained by the MCC. Three almoners gave social help to such mothers and a grant was paid to the London Diocesan Council for Moral Welfare who also engaged in this work.
Home nursing: male and female nurses were employed to visit the homes of patients and provide nursing care, under the instruction of the general practitioner responsible for the patient.
Vaccination and immunisation: the MCC provided vaccination or immunisation against smallpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and polio.
Ambulance service: until 1952 the Fire Service was responsible for the Ambulance Service on behalf of the Health Committee. The MCC maintained a large fleet of ambulances for the removal of accident cases to hospital and for the routine transport of sick persons to appointments.
Care and after-care, prevention of illness: care and after-care of patients with tuberculosis was undertaken at chest clinics and at the patients' homes. The MCC also maintained colonies for rehabilitation and had its own rehabilitation workshop. Care for the mentally ill was proved by mental welfare officers who arranged for hospital admission if necessary. The Council also ran five adult training centres and eight junior training centres. Other care services included chiropody provided at the MCC clinic in Edmonton; sending convalescent patients on recuperative holidays or stays in rest homes; and providing certain items of nursing equipment on loan to patients being nursed at home. To prevent illness schemes of health education were organised for adults and school children. A full time health education officer was employed to organise and co-ordinate health education.
Domestic help in the home: the MCC provided home helps to assist with the normal duties of running the household when this was required because of the presence in the home of one who was ill, an expectant mother, mentally defective, disabled or elderly. A charge was made but this was adjusted according to income.
Heathrow Airport: the main object of the health control service was to prevent the entry of infectious diseases into Britain. The airport medical staff also carried out medical examinations for aircrew and provided a medical service for employees at the airport.
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Records of the Middlesex County Council Health Department relating to local health services, 1934-1965, including papers regarding co-operation between local health authorities, hospital authorities and general practitioners; policy on day nurseries and crèches; policy relating to the care of mothers and babies; policy relating to birth control; papers relating to the midwifery service and general childbirth; papers of the Family Help Service relating to problem families; policy on homeless families; policy relating to welfare foods; policy on health visiting and home nursing; papers regarding vaccination and immunisation; policy relating to the care of the aged; policy on nursing homes; papers relating to research, investigations and trials.
This material is arranged in one series: MCC/HS/LH: General.
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Nursery schools Day nurseries Care of poor and aged Construction engineering Building design Building standards Accommodation Housing Residential care homes Nursing homes Care Home care Health services Family health services People by roles Homeless people People People by age group Babies Family Kinship Parents Mothers Family planning Birth control Medical sciences Obstetrics Childbirth Schools Educational institutions Midwifery Nursing Vaccination Preventive medicine Systems of medicine MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Health Department , Middlesex County Council Health Committee , Middlesex County Council London England UK Western Europe Middlesex Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Middlesex County Council Health Department relating to local health services, 1934-1965, including papers regarding co-operation between local health authorities, hospital authorities and general practitioners; policy on day nurseries and crèches; policy relating to the care of mothers and babies; policy relating to birth control; papers relating to the midwifery service and general childbirth; papers of the Family Help Service relating to problem families; policy on homeless families; policy relating to welfare foods; policy on health visiting and home nursing; papers regarding vaccination and immunisation; policy relating to the care of the aged; policy on nursing homes; papers relating to research, investigations and trials.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
This material is arranged in one series: MCC/HS/LH: General.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Schools » Nursery schools
- Educational levels » Early childhood education » Child care » Day nurseries
- Construction engineering
- Construction engineering » Building design
- Construction engineering » Building design » Building standards
- Housing
- Health services
- Family
- Family » Kinship
- Family » Kinship » Parents
- Family » Kinship » Parents » Mothers
- Family planning
- Family planning » Birth control
- Medical sciences
- Schools
- Educational institutions
- Medical sciences » Nursing
- Systems of medicine » Preventive medicine » Vaccination
- Systems of medicine » Preventive medicine
- Systems of medicine
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English