Health Services Conference “Making the Most of Present Resources”
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.1953.tb01713.x |
| Published date | 01 December 1953 |
| Date | 01 December 1953 |
Health Services Conference
cc
Making
the Most
of
Present Resources
’’
This report
is
reprinted,
by
permission
of
the
Editor,
from
THE
HOSPITAL (December,
1953,
Vol.
49,
No.
12),
ihe Journal
of
the
Institute
of
Hospital Administrators.
HE
second Health Services Conference organised by the Institute
of
T
Public Administration was held at Church House, Westminster, from
28th to
30th
October,
1953.
Under the title
of
“
Making the Most
of
Present
Resources,” six papers dealing with particular subjects relating to the use
of resources were presented.
The conference was presided over by
Mr.
H. Lesser, C.B.E., who, in
welcoming the delegates, commented on the progress made in the health
service since the Institute’s previous conference. The popularity of the
service was beyond question and in principle it had ceased to be a political
issue. However, no general pattern of co-ordination had yet emerged, and
there remained the need to bring about co-operation between the three
branches of the service, A cause of anxiety in the service was its increasing
cost. They could ensure that they were making the best use of the resources
at
their disposal by ensuring that the structure of the service was good and
by raising the standard of day-to-day management.
Finance and Deployment
of
Present Resources
Mr. Leslie Farrer-Brown (Secretary of the Nuffield Foundation), in the
first paper to be given, pointed out that it was doubtful whether it would
ever be possibie, however much their knowledge
of
health and health services
might
increase, to say what proportion of the national resources ought to
be spent on health. Calculations could not be based solely on mathematical
formulae, and at all levels they must have value judgments. At any time
there must be a rationing of resources, and no country could meet all the
potential medical needs of its citizens. Changes in the use of resources
could only be made slowly, and the present allocation
of
resources between
the hospitals, the general practitioner services and the local health services
still reflected the provision which had grown up before the service was
introduced. Money, however, was but the symbol and the main instrument
for effecting decisions
;
the real resources of the National Health Service
were men and women, equipment and knowledge. As to how well these
resources were used, much depended on the imagination and cleverness and
also the sense
of
responsibility of those engaged in the service at all levels.
Knowledge
of
the service and skill in running
it
were increasing, and as
a
result of various studies and experiments such as had been conducted by
the King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust, new and useful information was
being accumulated. Scientific research on operational problems should be
encouraged, and a centre to which bodies wishing to undertake studies could
turn for advice and guidance in regard to these seemed necessary.
Referring to problems
of
management,
Mr.
Farm-Brown said that the
management
of
medical services was one
of
the most difficult forms
of
administration
and
required very
able
administrators
in
key
positions not
407
To continue reading
Request your trial