| WINWICK HOSPITAL WARRINGTON | ||
EDITORIAL COMMENTWe are delighted that there is emerging a clearer understanding of the principles and functions of The Standard. Unsolicited help in this direction comes from B. Nugent in a letter addressed to the Editors. The purpose of the letter would appear to be a plea for the proper use of the communicating system. Whilst appearing to be critical of departmental policy, attention is drawn to the fast changing scene within the hospital about which no comment has appeared in the columns of The Standard. May we plead in mitigation that initially the editorial policy was, and remains, to make our columns available to those who have anything of moment or importance to commend. We are completely behind the suggestions embodied in the letter and hope that it may evoke response from departmental heads who deal with changes that are taking place in their respective spheres because it is becoming manifest that for wide spread communication amongst all levels of staff The Standard is proving an effective and efficient medium.-----------A further look into the FutureIn our last issue we looked at the broad outline of the proposed changes to be brought about by the new legislation which will give effect to the suggestions and ideas embodied in the Consultative Document recently published on the Health Service. We propose to deal with one section each week and in this way give such information as is available about the concept and purpose of each. This week we take a peep at the Regional Health Authorities. The areas of the Regional Health Authorities are to be based on fourteen planning regions hitherto adopted for the hospital service with one exception which, whilst of technical interest, is not of direct concern to us, i.e. that the present Sheffield hospital region is likely to be based on the medical teaching centres at Nottingham and Sheffield respectively. The inclusion of Regional Health Authorities in this Consultative Document is one of the major features of change from that embodied in previous Green Papers. This is likely to please many people and indications from the suggestions and comments made about the previous Green Papers are that including Regional Health Authorities as part of a two tier system will result in a very wide measure of agreement on the basic elements of reform. Very little is stated about the responsibility that will attach itself to these regional bodies but it is clear that they are to be the main link between the Central Department and Operational Authorities. The Regional Health Authorities will be responsible for the general planning of the National Health Service in each region, for allocating resources to the Area Health Authorities and for co-ordinating their activities and monitoring their performance. In this sense they will have to ensure that National and Regional objectives are achieved and that the desired standard of service is provided. One of the points of difference between the new bodies and their predecessors (the Regional Hospital Boards) is that included in their responsibilities will be the service facilities to be provided in support of Medical teaching and research and, in order to obtain the maximum benefit from this service, they will be responsible for close consultation with the universities. Beyond the statement of these broad principles the Consultative Document does not go but it points out that an expert study by a Working Party will be set afoot at an early date to examine detailed management arrangements. This body will also deal with the work which will fall to the responsibility of the Regional Health Authority. There is no doubt that it is intended to clarify and define, not only the extent of authority but, as well, the responsibilities which ought to attach themselves to the Authority itself and it is said that Regional Authorities will have "a real management responsibility within the chain of command" and there will be a clear definition of their role.-----------Next week we propose to deal with the extent and functions of the Area Authorities which should constitute the principal operating administrative organ.-----------
Because I've foolishly left a space
I'll fill with thoughts about my face.... (I've used that as a rhyme it makes) Goodness sakes''''
Not for any other reason....
For I have reached the season
When wrinkle, droop and sag,
Would make me look a hag
If I didn't grin
And turn in
To work ten minutes early,
To make my most un-curly
Hair
Look fairly fair -
Lacquering it up on top
To balance up my chop
A little more.
But..... LAW
Yesterday - No Spray....
So - sspppttt I FLEW away
To get some from canteen.
But, alas, was seen
By portering friends of mine,
Who assured me I was looking fine
Just as I was.
At this I preened no end, because
After all, I am a she ..
And a bit o'butter pleases me.
But - as to Hollins House I further got
They shouted out "Do you know what
You're like that Stooge - you know - Mo."
But - to my pride it was no blow....
For I always recognise the truth,
As will I hope that waggish youth,
Who with that sally made my day,
And caused my colleagues all to say,
When I returned - quite snappy,
"You are looking very happy".
Cordelia Naisby. LETTERS TO THE EDITORSI am wholeheartedly behind Mr. Dutch over the problem of keeping "our grounds" private. We, at South Lodge, have a very similar problem. We are not only getting L drivers up and down the hospital drive, we are getting gangs of hooligans writing "dirty" slogans all over our posters, doing their courting on the front seat, giving passing motorists a very nice idea about Winwick Hospital ... I feel sure of that! Our own patients, harmless elderly people are being chased away by these hooligans, laughed at, made to look ridiculous. I wouldn't like to repeat the answers I usually get when I try to put a stop to it. I am too polite for that! We are getting drunkards, lying on the seat, sometimes all night, shouting abuses to whoever has the misfortune to pass. We are getting all sorts of people knocking on the door, demanding to be admitted - some of them very menacing indeed. We are getting thieves too. My milk has also disappeared from the inside porch before now and maybe my onions would have gone too had I had some in the garden! Yes, Mr. Dutch, the time has come to put a stop and keep our grounds private. Let's hope that those in authority will take notice.H. J. HAMBLETON.---------------------------
Reading the Standard an advert we see GAgGed---------------------------B. NugentLETTER ADDRESSED TO ALDERMAN L. BALL, CHAIRMAN OF THE HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.Dear Sir, On behalf of the Band President and Regimental Headquarters (Increment) The Queen's Lancashire Regiment, I would like to express thanks for the excellent arrangements and hospitality for the visit of the Band to your hospital on Thursday, 22nd July. Mr. E. Fox and the ladies and gentlemen on the staff gave every support and assistance to what the Regimental Band considered to be a very worthwhile engagement. It gives great pleasure to send you this letter expressing our thanks.Yours most sincerely, (signed) Pat Ryan
Major, ---------------------Footnote from Editors: Our grateful thanks are due to the band and all who were responsible for making the visit to Winwick possible and our gratitude has been expressed on behalf of patients and staff.---------------------FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOMEEvery year 1,000 people in Great Britain die as a result of fires. Many homes are destroyed and thousands of others are damaged. Most of these fires are caused in ordinary rooms in ordinary houses. Because they are familiar places - your rooms in your home - you don't see the risks, the dangers, but they all there all the same. Some fires are the result of faulty heating or lighting equipment; but most are caused by carelessness. In this issue I propose to deal with some hazards in the KITCHEN.GasGas and air form an explosive mixture. If you have a gas water heater or cooker, make sure you are ready to light it before you turn on the gas, especially when lighting an oven. If the pilot light does not ignite the burner at once turn off and see whether the pilot is properly alight.Don't leave tea cloths or washing to dry over cookers. Don't allow the flex from an electric kettle to drag over a cooker. Never run an iron or other appliance off a light socket. See that saucepan handles do not face outwards into the room or over a lighted burner. Be specially careful with chip pans:-Never fill them more than a third to a half full off oil or leave them unattended on a lighted burner. If the pan does catch alight, switch off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or damp cloth to smother the flame. NEVER use water or try to carry the pan. Never use gloss paint on expanded polystyrene ceiling tiles - this can cause fire to spread quickly. Next Week:-The Living Room.C.P. Evans* * * * * * * * * *PHARMACY BULLETINPublication of the Pharmacy Bulletins being yet impossible due to lack of time (all the preparation for these, as of much other hospital work, being done at home), I am glad to be able to use a little space in The Standard to give a little information to medical and nursing staff. Firstly, a number of additions in June to Schedule 4B of the Poisons List included Suxamethonium Chloride, known also as Anectine, Brevidil-M and Scoline. Secondly, a small number of new and-interesting psychotropic drugs have been introduced to the hospital since the last Bulletin. Examples are the anxiolytic drugs Benzoctamine, L-Tryptophan Compound and Medazepam. Space does not permit details to be given here, but information may be obtained from the Pharmacy. The volume of work in the pharmacy has increased enormously during the last months. The number of full-time staff has, however, remained the same, and is becoming so hard-pressed that it seems inevitable that some further reductions in the pharmaceutical services must occur before long. It would ease the situation just a little if wards would refrain from sending for trivial items after their morning requisitions had been met and their their medicine boxes returned to the ward.H. TabernerCongratulations to:
Mrs. P. Bromham on Passing the final examination in Mental Nursing of the General Nursing Council. 100% pass again. W. Morris |