British Hospitals Contributory Schemes Association

Records of the British Hospitals Contributory Schemes Association, 1911-1967, including minutes of the executive committee and various smaller committees of the BHCSA, 1930-1949; minutes, publications, conference material, registers of members and circulars of the British Hospitals Association, 1911-1967; reports and minutes from regional contributory scheme organisations, 1920-1949; correspondence, publications and memoranda from the National League for Hospital Friends, 1949-1967; papers and material relating to the Central Bureau of Hospital Information, 1928-1949, including plans for various hospitals around the country and suggested layouts for sick wards in new hospitals; results and survey material from questionnaire conducted by the BHA into the 1948 National Health Service Act, 1946-1948.

The British Hospitals Contributory Schemes Association was formed in 1930 in the aftermath of the report of the Cave Committee of 1921. The aim of the committee was to rationalise the various health contributory schemes established to fund voluntary hospitals, prior to the introduction of the National Health Service, in different regions at the end of the nineteenth century. The BHCSA was essentially an instrument for dealing with the territorial spheres of the operation of the schemes, and gave guidelines and advice on contributions and benefits. The association continued to act as the national organising body for the regional schemes until it was disbanded with the inception of the National Health Service in 1948.

The National League for Hospital Friends (now the National Association of Leagues of Hospital Friends) was founded in 1949. The association represents voluntary workers supporting patients and their carers in hospitals and in the community, and provides services such as group insurance and deposit schemes, grants, fund-raising, advice, goods, information and publications, and opportunities for national and regional networking.

The collection is arranged in 22 sections:
1) Early Minutes, 1911-1940.
2) Executive Minutes, 1929-1945.
3) Committee Minutes, 1933-1954.
4) Subcommittee Minutes, 1940-1946.
5) Joint Committee Minutes, 1942-1947.
6) Regional Minutes, 1920-1949.
7) Miscellaneous Minutes, 1931-1965.
8) Conference Material, 1910-1951.
9) Register of Members, 1936-1966.
10) Yearly Reports, 1913-1949.
11) Conference / Special Reports, 1928-1948.
12) Regional Reports, 1938-1946.
13) Accounts, 1940-1944.
14) British Hospitals Association Internal Correspondence, 1937-1947.
15) British Hospitals Association Questionnaire, 1948.
16) National League for Hospital Friends Correspondence, 1944-1967.
17) Central Bureau of Hospital Information / Executive Circulars, 1928-1947.
18) Circulars and Memoranda (General), 1937-1967.
19) Plans, 1929-1938.
20) Map, 1946.
21) Miscellaneous Printed Material, 1946-1966.
22) Miscellaneous British Hospitals Association Material, 1935-1947.

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Printed handlist and online catalogue available.

Output from CAIRS using template 14 and checked by hand on July 15, 2002

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