Catalogue description Records of The County Nursing Association

See also Records of District Nursing Association DNA

County Nursing Association, Hertfordshire

Provenance

The records of the County Nursing Association were deposited in at least four groups as follows:

Off Acc 182 CNA1/21

Off Acc 187 CNA1/1-18

CNA2/6-7, 11-21

CNA3/8, 9

CNA4/8, 9, 11, 13-15

CNA5/1-5

Acc 1458 CNA2/1-5

Acc 1459 CNA9/1

Acc 1474 CNA2/8-10

CNA3/1-4, 7

CNA6/1-22

The exact provenance of the remaining items is unclear

• Hertfordshire
• Health Services

Introduction

District nursing developed sporadically from the mid-19th century when associations began to be formed, the first District Nurse having started work in Liverpool in 1859. Several District Associations were formed in Hertfordshire around the turn of the century, but few records survive from this date. District Associations became affiliated to the County Nursing Association after its formation.

The Hertfordshire County Nursing Association was formed in 1908, following the Midwives Act 1902 which stipulated that "Every council of a county or county borough throughout England and Wales shall.........be the local supervisory authority over midwives within the area of the said county or county borough". Also under this Act midwives had to be qualified and a register of their names kept; the Central Midwives Board was set up. The Nurses' Training Home at Watford was opened in 1908. The Hertfordshire County Nursing Association became affiliated to the Queen' Institute of District Nursing in April 1910.

Under the National Health Insurance Act of 1946, the County Nursing Association was taken over by the County Council, the County Nursing Trust being subsequently formed in 1952-3. The records of the County Nursing Association are catalogued as CNA 1-9, while those of the District Nursing Associations have the references DNA1-38.

1908 The County Nursing Association was started in 1908 in order to provide the necessary training for midwives require by the Midwives Act 1902 which came into full force on 1st April 1910.

The inaugural Meeting was held at 20 Arlington Street on 1st October 1908 and was followed by the first Meeting of the newly elected Executive Committee.

The Training Home at 31-33 Marlborough Road, Watford was opened in December 1908.

1909. The County Council were approached and agreed to pay from 1st April 1909 £25 towards the cost of training each midwife up to £100 in any one year.

1910. The County Nursing Association became affiliated to the Queen's Institute on 1st April 1910.

The Committee asked the affiliated Associations (34 in number) to undertake the School Nursing in their areas for 12 months voluntarily. The object of this was to prove to the County Council that in scattered areas it was better to employ the District Nurses to do this work than for the County Council to appoint special School Nurses. 27 Associations agreed to this.

1911. The County Council was asked to make a grant towards the School Nursing and a sum of £200 perannum was sanctioned. This was distributed to affiliated Associations at the rate of 2d per head on the average number of children on the school register with a minimum of 21.

The Watford Training Home was now found to be too small and Southfield House was purchased for £2,000.

1912. The County Council grant for School Children was increased to £300 as a larger number of affiliated Associations were undertaking the work.

The Herts Provisional Insurance Committee approached the C.N.A. to obtain the help of the Nurses in carrying out the nursing of tubercular cases in their own homes under the National Insurance Act.

1913. Mr Gabain & Dr Hyslop Thomson the County Tuberculosis Officer were asked to join the C.N.A. Committee.

A conference was held with the Herts Insurance Committee to consider if some scheme could be formulated for the County whereby approved Societies would give grants for the nursing of Insured persons.

The County Council agreed to pay 5/- per half day for the attendance of a nurse at the Tuberculosis Clinics.

The County Council grant for the training of Midwiven was increased to £200 to cover 8 pupils.

1914. The County Council School Nursing grant was increased to £500 per annum. This enabled the grant to affiliated Associations to be raised from 2d to 3d per head on average number on School register.

The Hertfordshire Scheme for Maternity and Child Welfare came into force. Under this Scheme the County Council agreed to pay a grant on the basis of £2 per 1,000 population to Associations undertaking the Health Visiting.

1916. The County Council sanctioned two additional Scholarships at the Watford Home raising the number from 8 to 10 per annum, and agreed to pay at the increased rate of £35 each instead of £25. This would allow the pupils to be given an additional two months training in Health Visiting and School Nursing.

The local Government Board gave a grant of £160 in respect of Midwifery services in rural areas.

1917. The C.N.A. Pension Scheme was started with the Royal National Pension Fund for Nurses.

1919-20 The County Council Health Visiting Grant was increased from £2 to £4 per thousand population and the School Nursing grant from 3d to 5d per head.

The care of Mental Defectives was undertaken for the County Council.

The Herts Branch of the British Red Cross Society presented a hut fully equipped to the C.N.A. to enable them to provide 12 lying-in beds at the Watford Training Home at the request of the County Council in connection with the county Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme.

The County Council agreed to contribute towards the cost of the treatment of Patients in the Home.

The British Red Cross Society asked the C.N.A. to undertake the necessary arrangement for carrying on the massage for disabled men when the Auxiliary Hospitals closed down.

The Committee agreed and 14 Centres were opened in the county. The County Council agreed to pay for the treatment of infants sent from the Infant Welfare Centres.

1920-21 The new Ward at the Watford Training Home was opened.

1923-24. In connection with the Watford Training Home a Branch Home was opened at 13 St Albans Rd Watford.

The British Red Cross Society took over the management of the Massage and Orthopaedic Clinics.

1924-25 Elizabethan Fete at Hatfield 30th and 31st May 1924. The objects of this were:-

1. To provide Emergency Nurses.

2. To assist local Associations in providing better means of transport in scattered dostricts.

3 To provide post graduate courses if funds allowed.

The proceeds of the Fete amounted to £4,839-16-6

Arrangements made with the County Council for nurses to visit under the Blind Persons Act 1920.

Scheme for Nursing of Insured persons started.

Leaflets drawn up for the use of local Associations re Insurance of Nurses.

1925-26. First Grants made from the Hatfield Fete Fund towards the purchase of Motor Cars and Cycles.

1926-27 The County Council School Nursing Grant increased from 5d to 9d per head in Rural districts with a minimum of £5. Health Visiting Grant to be a minimum of £7-10- in Rural Districts.

New Pension Scheme started with the Equitable Life Insurance Society.

The Garden Scheme for the County was taken over at the request of the Queen's Institute.

1928-29. The Committee realised that the Maternity Ward and Training Home at Watford would have to be replaced by a more premanent building and as the County Council are responsible for providing a Maternity Ward in Watford they were approached and a Conference held.

It was agreed that the County Council would purchase No. 21 King Street Watford and rebuild the Home. The administration to remain in the hands of the C.N.A.

1929-30. The Local Government Act 1929 came into force.

Midwifery Grants hitherto paid by the Ministry of Health will in future be paid by the County Council.

Infant Life Protection visiting undertaken for the County Council.

A block grant to be paid by the County Council for nursing Public Assistance cases instead of the payments hitherto made by various Boards of Guardians to certain Local Association

1930-31. A sub-Committee was appointed to get in touch with the Committees of County Hospitals to see if some arrangement could be made for a Joint Contributory Scheme between Hospitals and Nursing Associations.

1931-32. The new County Council Maternity and Training Home at Watford was opened.

1934-35 The Watford Borough Nursing Association was formed to take over the General Nursing hitherto done by the C.N.A. from the Watford Home.

1936-37 The Midwives Act 1936 came into force. A Scheme for the administration of this Act in the County was agreed between the County Council and the C.N.A. and approved by the Ministry of Health.

The Greater London Provident Scheme was considered by the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee of the County Council and representatives of the C.N.A. and it was agreed that Hertfordshire should not join in the Scheme as it would interfere with the self-contained character of the county.

1937-38. The County Council grant for visits to sick and infirm persons in receipt of relief was increased from £400 to £600.

The Management of the Watford Maternity Home was taken over by the County Council.

1937-39. The County Council grants were increased in Urban Districts. The Health Visiting Grant from £4 to £5 per 1,000 population and the School Nursing Grant from 5d to 7d per head.

The two District Midwives in Watford were taken over by the County Council.

A County Insurance Scheme was completed with the Law Accident Insurance Society by which all affiliated Associations may insure their nurses against all legal liabilities through the County Nursing Association.

1939-40 Arrangements made with the County Council for payments to be made to local Associations for the nursing of official evacuees through the County Nursing Association.

The County Council allocated 40% of the sum available for distribution from the Sunday Cinema Fund to the County Nursing Association for distribution.

Miss Harrington retired 31st December 1939 after 20 years service as County Superintendent.

Miss A. Brown appointed County Superintendent 1st Janry 1940

1940-41 The property of the Association known as 38 King Street Watford and investments relating thereto were invested in the Official Trustee of Charity Lands and the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds and other investments were transferred to Lloyds Bank Ltd Trustee Department.

Rules VIII and IX of the Association were altered as required in connection with the above arrangements.

Grants for nursing evacuees were extended to cover all evacuees.

The County Council allocated 30% of the Sunday Cinema Grant to the Association.

By arrangement with the County Council three Health Visiting Scholarships are to be offered annually to Queen's Nurses in return for two years service in the county. The County Nursing Association to pay one third of the cost.

A Midwifery Training Scheme to cover Part 11 Training started in the County.

The House to House Collections Act came into force. Each Association must obtain a separate licence from the Police in their area.

The War Damage Act 1941 came into force. The homes where District Nurses live which are the property of the Committees of local Nursing Associations are exempted under Part 11 of the Act.

1941-42 The County Council appointed Lady Clinton-Baker to represent the County Nursing Association on the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and Public Assistance Committee of the County Council in place of Dame Maud Bevan resigned.

The Salaries of all nurses employed in the county increased by 10% as from 1st October 1941 in accordance with the recommendations of the Queen's Institute.

1942-43 Lady Salisbury retired from the Chairmanship of the Executive Committee but remained as President and Chairman of the General County Committee.

Lady Lytton elected Chairman of the Executive Committee and Lady Clinton-Baker a Vice-Chairman in place of Dame Maud Bevan resigned.

A scheme was inaugurated in conjunction with the County Council for insurance for medical aid in Maternity cases.

Midwifery and Maternity fees standardised throughout the county. The minimum fee to be:-

40/- for non-members and

50/- for members of Associations

Arrangements for training Midwives in Gas and Air Analgesia at Brocket Hall.

The County Council agreed to increase the Health Visiting Scholarships from three to six per annum.

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