§ Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to make provision for industrial workers who are showing signs of war strain and who, although not suffering from any serious illness requiring admission to hospital, would benefit by a spell of recuperative treatment under medical supervision?
§ Mr. WillinkMy Department has been in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and National Service on this matter for some time, and I have decided, with the willing co-operation of the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John, to arrange for workers in the condition described by my hon. Friend to be 1711W admitted to a number of country houses hitherto used by that Organisation as auxiliary hospitals, but which are not at present needed for that purpose. The War Organisation is now engaged in selecting accommodation which is available and suitable, geographically and otherwise, for this new use, and I feel sure that I can count on the owners of the selected houses for their help in promoting the success of the scheme so directly connected with our war effort. Bodies other than the War Organisation which have centres affording similar facilities may participate in the scheme. My hon. Friend will appreciate that the project is an experiment in a new field of social medicine and that the provision must necessarily be on a modest scale in the first instance, as the number of centres available is obviously limited. The intention is that individual workers will be selected by co-operative action on the part of their own doctors, their employers' medical officers and the medical staff of my Department, and the detailed arrangements are being worked out by my officers in collaboration with those of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service. The course of treatment, which will normally last for two weeks and sometimes rather longer, will consist of physical exercises, indoor and outdoor occupations and organised games and excursions, all carefully graded according to the condition of the individuals and conducted on lines as far removed as possible from what is usually called the hospital atmosphere. The object is not only to prevent further impairment of the worker's health, but to tone him up, physically and mentally, so that he may return to his normal life with renewed vigour and efficiency.