York B Group Hospital Management Committee Archive

Administrative records, comprising Hospital Management Committee minutes, 1948-1974, Finance Sub-Committee minutes, 1950-1974, Joint Consultative Staffs Committee minutes, covering Clifton, Whixley and Claypenny Hospitals, 1950-1965, Hostels Sub-Committee minutes, 1951-1968, Works and Engineering Sub-Committee minutes, 1953-1958, Estates Sub-Committee, 1958-1974, Nursing Education Committee minutes, 1959-1973, Medical Advisory Committee minutes, 1959-1968, Medical and Allied Services Sub-Committee, 1968-1974, biennial reports, 1948-1973, papers and correspondence files, 1939-1955, and photographs, 1950s-1960s; financial records, comprising ledgers, 1948-1965, 1971-1974, cashbooks, 1936-1964, cash account books, 1951-1974, sub-analysis books, 1948-1957, 1970-1973, Hospital Management Committee account books, 1949-1952, hospital patients’ maintenance book, 1948-1972, and salaries and wages books, 1943-1958; stores and equipment records, comprising inventory book, 1968-1975; establishment records, comprising staff service registers, c.1930-1973.

York ‘B’ Group Hospital Management Committee was created in 1948 as part of the new National Health Service (NHS). Under the NHS, hospitals were to be managed by hospital management committees under regional hospital boards. York and its surrounding area came under Leeds Regional Hospital Board, local teaching facilities being based in Leeds. Two hospital management committees (HMCs) served the York area: York 'A' and Tadcaster HMC and York 'B' HMC.
York 'B' Hospital Management Committee managed a group of mental health and mental handicap hospitals comprising Clifton Hospital near York, formerly the North Riding Mental Hospital, with its annexe East Ayton Lodge near Scarborough; Whixley Colony near Cattal, a mental deficiency colony formerly run by a Joint Board representing the County Boroughs of Hull, Leeds, Halifax, and York; and Claypenny Colony at Easingwold, a mental deficiency colony formerly run by the North Riding County Council.
The headquarters of York 'B' Group was at Clifton Hospital. The secretary to the hospital management committee was the chief officer and in 1948 he also fulfilled the function of supplies officer, while the deputy secretary to the group was also the finance officer. Clifton Hospital was in the charge of a physician superintendent, and Claypenny and Whixley Colonies also had their separate superintendents.
Four standing subcommittees were established in 1948: Finance and General Purposes Subcommittee; Supplies Subcommittee; Farms (later Farms and Gardens) Subcommittee; and the Medical Advisory Subcommittee. In addition, two house committees were established, one to cover Whixley Colony and one for Claypenny Colony. The house committees not only oversaw the detailed and minor arrangements at the colonies, but also, more importantly, reviewed applications up to 1959 when the Mental Health Act made this work redundant.
After 1951, when three mental subnormality hostels at Bubwith, Ripon and Tadcaster were added to the group, a new Hostels Subcommittee was established. A Works and Engineering Subcommittee was also introduced in April 1953. In 1958-9 the Farms and Gardens and the Works and Engineering Subcommittees were combined to form the Estates Subcommittee. In 1966 Rawcliffe Hall Hospital at Goole joined the Group and a new house committee was set up to oversee the hospital.
Other subcommittees were set up to meet specific needs: for example, a Nursing Education Subcommittee was set up in December 1958, later followed by a Procedures Subcommittee. These oversaw the new nursing syllabus which was introduced at Clifton nurse training school in 1959. Another committee was set up with York 'A' Group in 1951: this Joint Liaison Committee oversaw the arrangements through which York 'A' Group made use of Clifton Hospital laundry. Joint consultative staffs committees for each hospital oversaw staff matters.
From 1 April 1968 the size of the hospital management committee was reduced to 20, and to 18 by 1970. From June 1968 the existing house committees were abolished. In place of house committees two liaison members were established for each of the main hospitals and their annexes. House visitors were also reorganised into four groups.
In addition a new standing subcommittee was established: the Medical and Allied Services Subcommittee (replacing the Medical Advisory Subcommittee) which acted in an advisory capacity over all matters relating to patients' treatment. From 1968, therefore, there were three standing subcommittees: Finance and General Purposes, Medical and Allied Services, and Estates.
York B Group HMC was abolished in 1974 as part of a reorganisation of the NHS which replaced hospital management committees. It was replaced by the North Yorkshire Area Health Authority.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 1995 as part of the transfer of York Health Archives to the Institute from their temporary home at Clifton Hospital.

York ‘B’ Group Hospital Management Committee was created in 1948 as part of the new National Health Service (NHS). Under the NHS, hospitals were to be managed by hospital management committees under regional hospital boards. York and its surrounding area came under Leeds Regional Hospital Board, local teaching facilities being based in Leeds. Two hospital management committees (HMCs) served the York area: York 'A' and Tadcaster HMC and York 'B' HMC.
York 'B' Hospital Management Committee managed a group of mental health and mental handicap hospitals comprising Clifton Hospital near York, formerly the North Riding Mental Hospital, with its annexe East Ayton Lodge near Scarborough; Whixley Colony near Cattal, a mental deficiency colony formerly run by a Joint Board representing the County Boroughs of Hull, Leeds, Halifax, and York; and Claypenny Colony at Easingwold, a mental deficiency colony formerly run by the North Riding County Council.
The headquarters of York 'B' Group was at Clifton Hospital. The secretary to the hospital management committee was the chief officer and in 1948 he also fulfilled the function of supplies officer, while the deputy secretary to the group was also the finance officer. Clifton Hospital was in the charge of a physician superintendent, and Claypenny and Whixley Colonies also had their separate superintendents.
Four standing subcommittees were established in 1948: Finance and General Purposes Subcommittee; Supplies Subcommittee; Farms (later Farms and Gardens) Subcommittee; and the Medical Advisory Subcommittee. In addition, two house committees were established, one to cover Whixley Colony and one for Claypenny Colony. The house committees not only oversaw the detailed and minor arrangements at the colonies, but also, more importantly, reviewed applications up to 1959 when the Mental Health Act made this work redundant.
After 1951, when three mental subnormality hostels at Bubwith, Ripon and Tadcaster were added to the group, a new Hostels Subcommittee was established. A Works and Engineering Subcommittee was also introduced in April 1953. In 1958-9 the Farms and Gardens and the Works and Engineering Subcommittees were combined to form the Estates Subcommittee. In 1966 Rawcliffe Hall Hospital at Goole joined the Group and a new house committee was set up to oversee the hospital.
Other subcommittees were set up to meet specific needs: for example, a Nursing Education Subcommittee was set up in December 1958, later followed by a Procedures Subcommittee. These oversaw the new nursing syllabus which was introduced at Clifton nurse training school in 1959. Another committee was set up with York 'A' Group in 1951: this Joint Liaison Committee oversaw the arrangements through which York 'A' Group made use of Clifton Hospital laundry. Joint consultative staffs committees for each hospital oversaw staff matters.
From 1 April 1968 the size of the hospital management committee was reduced to 20, and to 18 by 1970. From June 1968 the existing house committees were abolished. In place of house committees two liaison members were established for each of the main hospitals and their annexes. House visitors were also reorganised into four groups.
In addition a new standing subcommittee was established: the Medical and Allied Services Subcommittee (replacing the Medical Advisory Subcommittee) which acted in an advisory capacity over all matters relating to patients' treatment. From 1968, therefore, there were three standing subcommittees: Finance and General Purposes, Medical and Allied Services, and Estates.
York B Group HMC was abolished in 1974 as part of a reorganisation of the NHS which replaced hospital management committees. It was replaced by the North Yorkshire Area Health Authority.

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute.

2015-08-12

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

For related material held by the Borthwick Institute, see the archives of individual hospitals within York B Group, in particular the minutes of their House Committees, and their land and buildings records. The Borthwick Institute holds the archives of Claypenny Hospital, Clifton Hospital, Bubwith Hostel, East Ayton Lodge, Moorlands Hospital, Ripon Hostel, Tadcaster Hostel, Rawcliffe Hall Hospital, and Whixley Hospital.

Published

GB 193