Isolation Hospitals Act 1893
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1893 c. 68 |
| Year | 1893 |
Isolation Hospitals Act, 1893
(56 & 57 Vict.) CHAPTER 68.
An Act for enabling County Councils to promote the establishment of Hospitals for the reception of Patients suffering from Infectious Diseases.
[21st December 1893]
B E it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1 Short title.
1. This Act may be cited for all purposes as theIsolation Hospitals Act, 1893.
2 Limits of Act.
2. This Act shall not extend to Scotland or Ireland, or to the administrative count of London, or to any county borough, or without the consent of the council of the borough to any borough containing, according to the census for the time being in force, a population of ten thousand persons or upwards, or to any borough containing a less population without the like consent, unless the Local Government Board by order direct that the Act shall apply to such borough.
3 County council to provide for establishment of isolation hospitals on application, &c.
3. The council of every county may, on such application being made to them, and proof adduced, as is in this Act mentioned, provide or cause to be provided in any district within their county a hospital for the reception of patients suffering from infectious diseases (in this Act referred to as ‘an isolation hospital’).
4 Application, by whom to be made.
(1)4.—(1.) An application to a county council for the establishment of an isolation hospital may be made by any one or more of the authorities, by this Act defined as local authorities, having jurisdiction in the county, or any part of the county; and any much application may be made in pursuance of a resolution passed at a meeting of such authority by a majority of the members assembled thereat, and voting in manner in which votes are required by law to be given at a meeting of the authority. Any such meeting shall be called together by notice given in manner in which notices of the meetings of the authority concerned are required to be given by law, and specifying the object of the meeting to be the making an application to the county council under this Act.
(2) (2.) An application for the establishment of an isolation hospital may also be made by any number of ratepayers not less than twenty-five, in any contributory place as defined by this Act.
5 Application, how made.
(1)5.—(1.) The application shall be made by petition, and shall state the district for which the isolation hospital is required, and the reasons which the petitioners adduce for its establishment.
(2) (2.) The county council shall, by themselves, or by a committee of their body appointed for that purpose, consider the petition, and, if satisfied by the statements of the petition as originally prepared, or by any amendments made therein, that a prim facie case is made out for a local inquiry, they shall cause such inquiry to be made as to the necessity for the establishment of an isolation hospital.
6 Effect of report of medical officer of county.
6. The county council may direct an inquiry to be made by the medical officer of health of the county as to the necessity of an isolation hospital being established for the use of the inhabitants of any particular district in the county, and in the event of such medical officer reporting that such an hospital ought to be established for the use of the inhabitants of a district, may take the same proceedings in all respects for the establishment of such hospital as if a petition had been presented by a local authority for the establishment of an isolation hospital for the district named in the report of such medical officer of health.
7 Conduct of local inquiry.
7. The county council shall conduct the local inquiry into the necessity for the establishment of an isolation hospital, and as to the proper site for the hospital, and the district for which it is to be established (in this Act called the ‘hospital district’), by a committee consisting of such number of their members, either with or without the addition of such other persons, or in such other manner as the council think expedient. All expenses properly incurred by any such committee shall be paid as herein-after directed. The local inquiry shall be held subject to such regulations and otherwise as the council thinks fit. Due notice of the time and place at which any inquiry is to be held by the county council shall be given in such manner as the county council may think the best adapted to inform any persons interested, and such persons may attend and state their case before the members appointed to conduct such inquiry.
8 Variation of district and appeal.
(1)8.—(1.) Every hospital district constituted under this Act shall consist of a single local area, or two or more local areas, as defined by this Act.
(2) (2.) The county council may vary any proposed hospital district by adding to it or subtracting from it any local area. A local area which is already provided with such isolation hospital accommodation as may in the opinion of the county council be sufficient for the reasonable exigencies of such area, shall not, without the assent of the local authority of such area testified by a resolution of such authority, be included in a hospital district under this Act.
(3) (3.) If any local authority, having jurisdiction within any part of the proposed hospital district, object to the formation of such a district, or to the addition or subtraction thereto or therefrom of any local area within their jurisdiction, such authority may at any time within three months from the date of the order appeal to the Local Government Board, and the decision of such Board shall be conclusive.
9 Order as to dismissal of petition or constitution of district.
9. On conclusion of a local inquiry by the county council as to the necessity for the establishment of an isolation hospital, the county council shall make an order, either dismissing the petition, or constituting a hospital district, and directing an isolation hospital for such district to be established: Provided that the county council shall not take steps for the constitution of a hospital district for one or more contributory places forming a portion of a rural sanitary district within the jurisdiction of the county council, or for one local area, unless the sanitary authority of such place or places, or area, assent to the application, or are proved to the satisfaction of the county council to be unable or unwilling to make suitable hospital accommodation for such place, places, or area.
10 Hospital committee.
(1)10.—(1.) When a hospital district has been constituted, a committee shall be formed by the county council. Any such committee may consist wholly of members of the county council, or partly of members of the county council and...
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