The Medical Services Branch (MSB) was created through a series of divisional amalgamations from 1962 until 1971. The Branch and its predecessor units have been responsible for some of the oldest public health functions, including quarantine, immigration medical inspections, and the treatment of sick mariners and lepers. Present responsibilities include the provision of health care services to native Canadians, the residents of the North, and civil servants, as well as emergency medical/welfare services and advice and inspection with regards to civil aviation. In the past, the MSB and its predecessors have carried out functions relating to civil defence, prosthetics, narcotic control, blindness control, and hospital design.
The records in this accession consist of reports produced by and for the Branch on a number of topics relating to MSB functions, including health service studies for native bands, ship health facility design and equipment, roles of hospitals, use of nursing personnel, and training. Also included are a number of files documenting the MSB Regional Directors Conferences from 1979 to 1983.