Ministry of Health

This series contains correspondence, reports and memoranda relating to Platt's consultancy work for the Ministry of Health. During the second world war Platt was consultant orthopaedic adviser to the Emergency Medical Scheme of the Ministry of Health and also to the Army Medical Service. Platt played an important role in the development of orthopaedic services and hospital planning during the war, which extended beyond the end of the war to form the foundations of the National Health Service. As consultant adviser, Platt was involved in planning the orthopaedic services, especially in the North West, and in visiting hospitals to assess provision. The series illustrates the work that Platt did for emergency hospital services, gives an in-depth insight into the service and how individual hospitals were used for orthopaedic services during the war. It also shows the cooperation between different bodies, namely the Armed Forces, the Ministry of Health and the British Orthopaedic Association. Material in the files also illustrates the particular problems faced by orthopaedic surgeons during the war, particularly the inadequate segregation and transfer of severe cases from general army hospitals. The American Hospital in Britain, which worked under the aegis of the Ministry of Health, and in which Platt played a major role, is an interesting example of international medical cooperation. This series holds important documents relating to the early days of the Hospital.

This series has been divided into two sub-series, one for the Emergency Medical Scheme, 1939-1954 (which also contains information about Platt's appointment with the Army Medical Service and Platt's file on the American Hospital in Britain) and one for Platt's post-war consultancy with the Ministry of Health, 1945-1963. Within each file, pieces are arranged in chronological order.