 The Department employed 9,035 staff in March 1920, its peak period of operation, rapidly reducing to 5,485 by March 1921.The Department took over responsibility for the Military Hospitals Commission, which ran convalescent hospitals and homes for wounded soldiers.On 31 March 1921, the Commission's hospitals were caring for 6,264 in-patients (of whom 889 were being treated for mental problems and 1,376 for tuberculosis) and 540 out-patients.