Records of the Medical Department

Files relating to the work of the Medical Department, including research, and the diagnosis and assessment of disabilities arising from prescribed diseases.

Registered files of the Medical Department are in PIN 39

• Ministry of National Insurance, Medical Department, 1947-1953
• Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, Medical Department, 1953-1966

The Medical Department of the Ministry of National Insurance was established in April 1947 to deal with medical questions arising from the provisions of the National Insurance Act 1946 and the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946.

The Chief Medical Officer and his staff were primarily involved in the assessment of industrial injury disablement and with securing doctors needed to man the medical boards which examined claimants under the Acts. They also co-ordinated and supervised the work of these boards and maintained direct contact with medical staff working at the regional level. Liaison was maintained with medical departments in other ministries, especially the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour and National Service. One section of the Department specialised in matters relating to industrial diseases, advising on individual claims to benefit and keeping in touch with developments in medical research in this field, in case other diseases might be identified which should be added to the list under the Industrial Injuries Act. The knowledge and experience of the department was at the disposal of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council which made recommendations to the Minister on these matters.