EDITORIAL COMMENT

Lack of space prevents us continuing our "peep into the future" and we are holding over until next week the outline description of the purpose and function of Area Boards as envisaged by the consultative document at present going the rounds.

The next few years will witness so many constitutional changes in the re-allocation of functional responsibility and the building up of an executive management machine, that it behoves every individual to keep abreast not only of the changes as they take place but as well of the ideas and purposes which lie behind their introduction. We think not only of the field of health, but as well of the wider aspect of Government and local control, the development of new towns, the disappearance of old established parochial boundaries, the setting up of new forms of administrative control, and of re-adjustment of thinking that will be a pre-requisite to successful change.

We would welcome views and comment on such of these as have been announced.

FROM THE CHAPLAIN

During the past year the church buildings have had a major facelift. The organ has been installed and once more the Church buildings are in use. Now it would appear that we still have the problem of getting our congregation to the building. Time and time again I am told, "Sorry I was not in Church last Sunday; there was no one to bring me". Patients still arrive late even though the start of the service has been delayed for a few minutes. I am well aware that staff shortages occur often at weekends, but are we really so understaffed that some solution cannot be found to our present difficulties?

Recently, a visiting preacher (I was on holiday at the time) was very impressed by the way our patients conducted themselves during the course of Divine Service, alas he was not so favourably impressed by a small minority of the staff present. They, and I quote, "sat at a distance from the congregation during the service, and held whispered conversations the whole time."

No wonder, in view of the very high standards of nursing care given by the staff in all other fields of their nursing activities a standard of which they can be justly proud. I was concerned and disturbed by our visitor's comments.

Peter Nunn
Hospital Chaplain

Why not use our young voluntary helpers in this way? All we require is official approval.

J. A. Jolley
Social Therapy Officer

THE LIBRARY

It would be unrealistic, I suppose, to expect our Hospital to stand comparison in any non-medical respect with facilities available to the community at large. Yet in the Library we do have something to be proud of.

With its pleasant, book lined room, a stock of nearly seven thousand volumes, 9.00 a.m. - 5.15 p.m. service for both borrowing and browsing through numerous periodicals, it must compare very favourably with all but the most central outside Libraries.

We have £5 per month to spend on whatever requests our readers make.

Our big regret is that we are unable to meet the requests of those wards who feel that a few shelves of books, some perhaps in large print, would be much appreciated by their not-so-young people.

If any readers feel able to help in the way of suggestions, or even gifts of second-hand books, we would be grateful to hear from then.

H. Appleton
R. Bruton

FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOME 2

THE LIVING ROOM

Don't hang a mirror over the fireplace - it invites people to get near to the fire.

Don't put anything on the mantleshelf which a child may try to grab.

If you use smokeless fuel your chimney should be swept at least once a year - more often if non-smokeless fuel is used. Keep the hearth and surround clean.

If your chimney catches fire, send for the Fire Brigade - its FREE. Then remove the hearth rug and any flammable materials away from the fire and sprinkle water on it.

Never use petrol or paraffin to help light a fire. Never use newspaper to make it draw.

In rooms used by children or old people always have a guard FIXED in front of the fire.

A sparkguard (of close wiremesh) will prevent sparks flying out, and it should be placed in position before the room is left unoccupied.

It is advisable to put an extra guard around a radiant gas or electric fire if young children are nearby, just as if it were an open coal fire. An extra guard is also desirable if elderly persons are in the house as an elderly person may doze in a chair near a heating appliance.

Switch off electrical appliances when they are not in use and switch of at the socket or pull out the plugs.

If the flex is not long enough the safest plan is to get a new one.

Be sure none of your flex is worn.

Don't run flexes under carpets or linoleum; they can be chafed or damaged without being noticed.

Be careful when using multi--way adaptors. A lot of appliances wired to one socket can overload the house wiring. Result - overheating and a grave risk of fire. The safest method to adopt is one appliance - one socket. So see you have enough plug points.

This is rapidly becoming a DON'T column and therefore if there is space next week we will try the bedroom.

C. P. Evans

CHESS

The recent Chess Club Championship has finally thrown up the winners in each division. After some startline upsets the finalists in the second division were, M. Price, Path Lab, and F. Carroll, M.3. Up. A hard-fought game finally resolved itself in M. Price's favour after middle-game pressure by his opponent. In division 1, the favourite, E. Bromley, Psychology Department, made an early error against L. Bayliss, who had upset the form-book already with wins over D. McKendrick and T. Allen, and was never allowed to recover. Our congratulations go to both winners in what has been a most stimulating tournament.

Full results as follows:

Division 1

E. Bromley ) R. Bruton  )   J. Jolley  ) G. Gilmore )

Bromley )         ) Bromley Gilmore )

 

D. McKendrick ) J. Minshull   )   T. Allen      ) L Bayliss     )

McKendrick )            ) Bayliss Bayliss    )

 

Division 2.

F. Carroll ) E. Aston   )   R. Mather  ) E. Cumings )

Carroll )         ) Carroll Mather  )

 

A. Makin   ) L. Smith   )   C. Conduit ) M. Price   )

Makin   )         ) Price Price   )

 

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Congratulations are extended to the following on their recent promotion to the posts of Ward Sister and Charge Nurses:

Mrs. I. Hankey -	Sister responsible for In-Service Training of Nursing Staff.
Mrs. M. Kettle -	Ward Sister M.8. Down
Mrs. H. Kilshaw -	Ward Sister East Wing.
Miss. P. Taylor -	Ward Sister M.7. Up Female Patients.
Mr. B. Atherton -	Charge Nurse F.1. Down.
Mr. C. Leigh -	Charge Nurse (At present undertaking general nurse training).
Mr. D. McKendrick -	Charge Nurse F.1. Down.
Mr. T. Muldoon -	Charge Nurse M.5. Down.
Mr. R. Peake -	Charge Nurse - Night Duty.
Mr. A. Zmaney -	Charge Nurse - Male Upper Delph when Mr. M. Hughes commences duty as Charge Nurse in Female Upper Delph due to be opened in the near future.

 

Congratulations to D.S. P. Clare on qualifying as a State Registered Nurse.

Warrington Infirmary Pupil Nurses will be visiting Winwick Hospital on Wednesday, 11th August at 2 p.m.

We extend a warm welcome to Mr. Stokes who took up his new post as Night Superintendent on August 1st, 1971.

During last week Mr. Stokes has been gaining experience in the General Administration Office and will actually commence night duty on Monday August 8th 1971. His supporting staff will consist of Mrs. T. Dagnall, Assistant Matron, Sisters M. Stringer and N. Blackburn and Charge Nurses J. Dagnall, R. Peake and D. Markham. We hope to publish the new administrative strucutre on night duty in the near future.

On Thursday of this week eight members of our nursing staff paid an informal visit to Moston Hospital, Chester which is a 370 bedded psychiatric hospital accommodating both acute and long stay patients. Although recently Moston has become an area of the West Cheshire Salmon Scheme, staff and patient integration has been a feature there for several years.

Yesterday our visiting team, which included Sisters Latham and Kettle and Charge Nurse Yates, McKendrick and Atherton who are already pioneering integration at Winwick, had the opportunity of seeing such a scheme in operation and of talking to the staff involved in it. Next week they are hoping to have published a report on their visit.

This is the first of a series of such visits to hospitals where integration is already underway. I feel that we are all going to benefit by the experience of our colleagues in other areas and that this, combined with our own enthusiasm, will make our latest venture of staff integration a successful one.

N. Coppack.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to see Mr. Morris, and the very able staff of the Training School, for the patience, guidance, and support given to all the pupils and students resulting in yet another 100% pass in the recent finals.

With the results achieved by school after school, it becomes increasingly obvious that all pupils and students at Winwick Hospital receive an excellent training, and are indeed fortunate to be given the opportunity of training here.

Finalists June 1971

May I, through the Standard convey my thanks and appreciation to all members of the staff for the lovely flowers and presents I received on my retirement.

I will never forget my last week on duty.

I feel quite happy to leave the dear ladies on F.4. Down in the care of Mr. Yates, who they all accepted so well.

Integration - we had no problems, in fact we had some hilarious moments.

I had the shock of my life when I walked into the coffee lounge last Friday afternoon, Eamon Andrews couldn't have compared the show - This Is Your Life - any better than Miss Coppack, Miss Downey and the assistant matrons did.

My husband, unknown to me, was invited and he was very impressed by the friendliness and the informality of everyone concerned.

With renewed thanks, especially to the catering staff,

I. Carey.

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FORTHCOMING ATTRACTION

FRIDAY 27th, AUGUST

DANCE in the FEMALE GYM

Sports Personality of the Year

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