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THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, JULY 12, 1940
Social Services In Britain
The
manifold social choice of medical attendant also
services in Britain, sup-
exists.
The Act has worked smoothly
-By-
plied and maintained by since its inception. Experience Dr. Percy Hall.
quickly showed its faults and
the State out of the Na- shortcomings, its scope and use-
Officer of for those less fortunate members whom is a Medical Health.
of of the
suffer He has a staff
community who qualified medical men and women from various disabilities, that the to assist him. Their activities in- social services of Britain seek to clude Maternity and Child Wel- render help in whatever direction fare, School Children, Tuber- it is needed. culosis, Epileptics and Feeble-
Industrial Accidents, are pro- Minded Children, Mental Hos-
vided for by the Workmen's Com- Fevers and The writer of this au- pitals, Hospitals for
Certain sche- Contagious Diseases, and clinic Pensation Acts.
duled diseases common to.cer- Britain had no hope of receiving thoritive survey is
tain trades are also provided for. adequate medical care, if unfor-
The victims receive weekly fin- anical grants sufficient to main- tain them during their total period of incapacity, however, long it lasts.
fulness have both been increased. prior to its coming into force the majority of the poor
in Great
tunate enough to fall sick. The Friendly Societies which
a for Venereal Disorders.
In seaports, which are numerous in
well known British an island country like Great Brit-
ain, they include a Port Medical
old proceded the Act, and which were physican who has had officer, who examines all in largely absorbed
only by it
tional Exchequer, have increased in number and scope during the last gen- eration to an amazing de- gree. Many hundreds of million pounds
number wide experience in the coming vessels so as to prevent sterling of the provident poor who saw are expended annually fit to join them as members. The administration of me- provisions were also very inferior
More dical social services, ches the age of 65. he becomes en been enacted during the last gen- out of taxation to provide to those offered the Act.
over, the Act was compulsory them.
and every worker was obliged to such as clinics. come under its authority.
and have also been able to watch their effects. It can be said, with- out fear of contradiction, that the lot of the working classes in Great Britain to-day is superior to that in any other civilised community in the world
provided for a limited
character
into the
disease being brought country.
It is not possible to do more than indicate the chief measures When an insured person rea- of social legislation which have
titled to an old age pension. If eration, but, from what has been this, together with his savings, is stated, the immense care taken insufficient to maintain him he by successive governments in will be realised. demo- can, by application to the right Great Britain of the British authority, have this pension sup- They have all been and are plemented by a further grant. equally intent, no matter in what degree: “their” polícies may other-
The executive working of the It will be seen from the mere wise differ, in doing their utmost various social services is per- enumeration 'of some of the to safeguard the health and ef- formed by large numbers' of various directions in which the ficiency of the nation's popula- the Great salaried officials, at the head of State endeavours to provide help tion.
The legislature had one object in view in `establishing them The cost of its maintenance is manner is the completely the betterment of the working met by a small weekly contri- cratic classes. This has been achieved bution deducted from the wage Government maintained. to an extent which was scarcely of the worker, a larger one from dreamed of by the older members the employer and a State grant of the community, in their youth; from the Exchequer. and they have survived long en-
In 1919, just after ough to see them come into being War, a new government depart- ment was established, known as the Ministry of Health. It controls. the administration of all the Health Acts, including the super- vision of every Medical Officer of Health in the country. This con- trol is decentralised and is locally The first step forward in this vested in the Corporations, Coun- movement, which has since been ty Councils, and every urban and actively supported by every Gov- rural district council throughout ernment which has succeeded to the Kingdom. The costs are → office, was the National Health met out of the local rates, supple- .Insurance Act. This Act was mented by an anual grant out of promoted by the Right Honour- general taxation determined by able David Lloyd George and the Ministry itself. became law in 1911. It provides
Each local authority is com- free medical attendance, medi-
posed of members whose numbers; cines and necessary appliances,
vary according to the size of the for every person in the United
population of the area they con- Kingdom who is employed and trol. They are elected trionially between the ages of 10 and 60. by the adult population of the In addition, insured persons are district. Every adult in Great allowed а weekly sum to Britain who has attained the age assist in their maintenance during of 21 years is entitled to a vote any period of incapacity due to in these local, and also in the ill-health. Perfect freedom of Parliamentary Elections. In this
A CHALLENGE!
Compare
Rothmans
PULLMAN
VIRGINIA CIGARETTES.
Because they're Rothmans, you'll find Pullman certainly better than those you usual-
ly smoke.
These youngsters thoroughly enjoyed the experience of riding on the Bren Gun Carrier: whon members of the London Irish Rifles were returning to. "headquarters" at their Eastern. Command depot (Copyright, Fox)
ROTHMANS
OF PALL MALL
MADE IN LONDON
ROTHMANS
of PALL MALL
Production of Margarine to be rationed next week has Inoroased 50 por cont. In the Bel tlah lalag since the wan started. Milk, and Empire oils day and night (without ceasing work) are being made into marganing containing the full compliment of vitamins "A & D", A visit to a margaring works in Essex, shows an endloss Chain of Packing cases running Packing Department. (Copyright, Fox)
through the