| Description | Minutes of a committee established following the National Health Service Act 1946 and the transfer of hospitals to the NHS when the act came into effect in 1948. Birmingham Regional Hospital Board was created and the United Birmingham Hospitals (Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the General Hospital) retained its Board of Governors. The Regional Hospital Board was associated with the University of Birmingham's School of Medicine. Membership of the Standing Joint Committee included representatives from the United Birmingham Hospitals, Birmingham Regional Hospital Board, and the University of Birmingham. The first meeting was held on 8 December 1948, and Sir Leonard Parsons, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine was appoitned chair
Membership consisted of the chair and vice-chair of Birmingham Regional Hospital Board, as well as the chair of the Planning Committee and the chair of the Finance Committee. From the United Birmingham Hospitals Board of Governors, the chair and the chairs of the Medical Advisory Committee were represented, and from the University of Birmingham the Vice-Chancellor, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Professor Stammers, Department of Surgery, and Professor Hilda Lloyd, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology were members
Minutes of this first meeting, in December 1948, contain substantial information about the operation of the Queen Elizabeth and General Hospital during 1948 and the previous few years. There are statistics for waiting list cases at the United Birmingham Hospitals; an analysis of cases admitted for investigation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the General Hospital; figures for paying patients accommodation; an analysis of cases admitted as emergencies and for non-urgent treatment, as well as discussion of facilities within both hospitals, and discussion of staff appointments and the provision of new facilities. There is also a copy of a report on the Casualty Department of the General Hospital which gives details about its work and organisation and provides a criticism of its delays, lack of privacy, and lack of adequate facilities for treatment and recovery. The report includes black and white photographs showing patients in the Waiting Hall, in Theatres and Dressing Stations, and in a Recovery Ward, to illustrate the overcrowding and need for additional facilities
Minutes of subsequent meetings record continued discussion about many of these issues, particularly staff appointments, reviews of work and waiting lists, duration of stay in hospital, improvement of facilities, and the development of regional plans for medical services.
Minutes of the meeting held on 12 October 1949 contain a copy of a statistical survey of emergency admissions to hospitals in Hospital Management Committees Groups Nos.24, Birmingham (Dudley Road) and 25, Birmingham (Selly Oak). Minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 1949 contain papers on the training of nurses in the United Birmingham Hospitals. Minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 1950 include summary statistics of admissions at Birmingham hospitals 1948-1949. Minutes of meetings throughout 1951 discuss establishment and appointment of Registrars, and there are further references throughout minutes of meetings held in 1952 and 1953.
Minutes of the meeting held on 14 May 1952 contain a report by the Regional Cancer (Co-ordinating Committee) on the planning and operation of a Regional Cancer Service, and there is further discussion of these plans recorded in minutes of meetings held in 1952 and 1953
Minutes of the meeting held on 11 May 1955 contain papers on the establishment of a new blood transfusion centre. Minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 1956 and 27 April 1957 contain papers relating to the building of a new Radiotherapy department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 1958 include a copy of a memorandum by Thomas McKeown, Department of Social Medicine entitled 'The Conception of a Balanced Hospital Community', which considers the advantages of assembling various elements of the hospital system on a single site
No meetings are recorded for 1960
Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 1961 include a copy of a memorandum from the Regional Hospital Board setting out the present position at Uffculme Psychiatric Early Treatment Centre and Day Hospital, and suggested plans for the scope of the work at Uffculme, particularly with regard to research, to be integrated and extended, and record discussion of proposals by members of the Standing Joint Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 1961 include a copy of a Consultant Services Committee report on out-patient waiting times at Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital which suggests proposals for improvements
Internal evidence states that the Committee was scheduled to meet in 1963 but no minutes after 23 May 1962 have been transferred to the University Archives |