EDITORIAL COMMENT

This week's magazine reports on a great deal of activity - both in our working and social lives. The visit to Moston hospital, movement of patients, movement of staff, the Pet Show and Display and the Barbecue at Delph.

Quite a Patchwork! Which leads us on to hazard a guess that even in this sophisticated age most of us admire a patchwork quilt; stitched with care and thought for a pleasing design. We could go further and suggest that we at Winwick are a sort of patchwork quilt......... each one of us being essential to a well balanced pattern in a warm and serviceable whole. And even though some colours are brighter than the rest, should a drab patch come unstitched the warmth and service would be the less.

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More on Integration

As reported in last week's "Standard", a group of sisters, charge nurses and nursing officers recently visited Moston Hospital to learn how integration of nursing staff was functioning there.

However, as all twelve wards have had mixed staffing since the hospital opened in 1961, their staff seemed to find their system the 'natural' one, and, when asked about the problems of integration of the nursing staff, appeared rather puzzled. "We find both male and female nurses have something to offer our patients," said one sister, "Often a woman will turn to a male nurse for advice and vice versa."

Each ward had one charge nurse or ward sister, and a deputy of the opposite sex. Mixed staffing was accepted by the patients too, and whenever integration was mentioned, patients and staff assumed one was talking of patient integration, which has been practised on half of the wards for up to four years.

Staff felt that completely mixed wards provided a more normal environment and patients on the admission wards accepted this system readily, welcoming the viewpoint of those of the opposite sex in their group discussions. These patients who had had experience of "unisex" wards said that they themselves preferred the newer system.

One male staff nurse had some reservations about mixed admission wards, believing that on occasions an all male environment was necessary with certain patients.

Dr. Madden, consultant in charge of the alcoholic unit, had no qualms about the integration of patients and staff. "People aren't segregated outside," he said, "so why should we separate the sexes in here?" His patients discussed the subject in their group meeting, and were wholeheartedly in favour of mixed wards.

The overall impression gained on the visit was that if one wanted to discover problems of staff integration, one would not do so at Moston, but perhaps would learn more from a visit to West Cheshire Hospital (Deva), which commenced integration of nursing staff two years ago. However, the lesson appears to be that the real problem of integration is not any which is faced by those staff concerned; rather it is the difficulties which are inferred by those with a strongly traditional outlook.

D. McKendrick

FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOME 3

The Bedroom

Don't smoke in bed. It causes 300 injuries and deaths each year.

Make sure that there is a suitable guard for the room heater.

Nightdresses for children and elderly women should he made from flame resistant material.

Don't dim a bedside lamp by covering it: buy a low wattage bulb.

Electric Blankets: Don't use an under blanket over you nor an over blanket under you. An under blanket, unless of the low voltage type MUST be switched off before you get into bed. Keep your electric blanket dry and flat and have it serviced regularly by the makers.

Keep aerosol type containers away from heat and NEVER burn or puncture then..

Never let furnishings or clothing get close to a lighted fire.

IF CLOTHING CATCHES FIRE: A person whose clothes are on fire should be laid on the floor and rolled in blankets, rugs or a thick coat. If your own clothing catches fire, roll on the floor to extinguish the flame.

C. P. Evans.

NURSING NEWS

Two ward moves are scheduled to take place next week which will mark another stage in the long struggle to reduce the patient content in over-crowded wards.

On Tuesday, August 17th, 1971 eighteen patients from both M.4. Up and M.5. Up and six patients from M.9. Up will move to M.8. Up thus relieving the number of beds in each of these wards to 42 and Mr. R. Regan, will be the Charge Nurse on M.8. Up and Deputy Charge Nurse D. Hill and S.E.N. A. Malee, his deputies.

On Tuesday August 17th, 1971 the fifty female patients on M.7. D and five from M.7. Up will move into the recently upgraded F.5. D. The senior nursing staff on this ward will be Sr. I. Reid, D/S C. Jeffrey and S.E.N. E. Chisolm. The reduction of five beds in M.7. Up will enable the installation of a night nurses station in the dormitory.

During the last week the four male nurses who were previously resident at the Delph Hostel have moved into the Church Block of the staff home and it is hoped that other male resident staff will be able to move in within the next few days.

With the additional vacant accommodation now available at Delph work is due to commence on the division of Female Delph into two wards - Upper and Lower Female Delph.

In writing the above, and I'm sure to you reading it, the need to name our wards is more than obvious. What has happened to the competition announced in The Standard a few weeks ago?

N. Coppack

The Pet Show and Display by the Wigan Alsatian Club

The Infirmary Unit's contribution to the swimming pool fund took the form of a Pet Show and Display by Wigan Alsatian Club Display Team. The event attracted sore 200 people in all. The weather was kind, everyone appeared to have a most enjoyable afternoon. Although the object of the exercise was not to make money but for the entertainment of the patients a total of £13 was made. Our thanks to Alderman Ball who graced the event with his presence and kindly presented the prizes (and also enjoyed himself). We would like to acknowledge the kind assistance of the electricians, the catering officers, social therapy, and Mr. Stewart and all staff of Infirmary Ward, and a very special mention to the Wigan Alsatian Club Display Team and Miss Judith Owen and friends.

J. Bate.
B. Potts,
J. Dawson.

Delph News

Delph Hospital was the venue on Wednesday evening last, for a venture which broke new ground in several directions. This was a Barbecue held by the patients and staff, for patients, staff, relations and indeed anyone who cared, and paid to come. The general idea from a therapeutic point of view, is simply prevention of institutionalisation by the maximum involvement of staff, patients and the general community, in realistic projects, based on the same Principles on which Delph Hospital, as a unit operates.

The major factor standing out more each time the unit sponsors any function, is the fantastic support available from the various departments within the Hospital, as well as growing support from bodies in the community.

Typical was the chain of contacts, starting with Mr. Jones, Personnel Officer with British Steel, leading to the Colonel in charge of the Peninsular Barracks at Warrington, resulting in the loan of a Marquee. This was collected by our transport department, helped by myself, a pupil nurse, and a group of patients.

The erection of the Marquee was effected by this same group with the help of three experts from our patient population in Winwick.

Music was provided by the Warrington Silver Band, arrangements in detail being the responsibility of our Patients Committee. Suffice to say, they came, they played and they captured the capacity crowd who attended.

The principal item, the menu, was provided and magnificently presented, by our own catering department working in their own time. The amount of work involved must have been tremendous. The success of their efforts, supported by Joe Jolley's work on the bellows of the charcoal burner, is spoken of with pleasure and many requests for a repeat performance.

The Social Therapy department gave us the sort of support we have come to expect, even take for granted, and without which any venture would be the poorer. The same applies to all the departments who helped in many ways, from Mrs. Naisby and her staff to the Engineering department who looked after the lighting effects and sound projection.

The Staff Social Club committee gave us their wholehearted support, which was much appreciated by everyone.

The staff and patients who came, paid their way and worked extremely hard as well, provides the picture of the sort of team work which could enable Winwick to move to the top of the league in modern psychiatry in the near future.

From a social point of view, the evening was a tremendous success, and was enjoyed by all who attended, somewhere close to 300 overall.

Financially we broke even, as intended, after paying for the materials supplied through the Catering department and incidentals involving approximately £50 turnover.

Some measure of one angle, of the success of the venture, was the suggestion by a colleague who attended the Barbecue - "It was a marvellous evening, but could not more patients have attended, I saw very few". In fact there was a 99% attendance from Delph and quite a few from Winwick, all enjoying a social evening together with staff and visitors and not obvious as patients, but as equal members of society.

A. Haughey.

Au-revoire

The occasion of the retirement of Mr. H. Dunn from the Hospital Fire Brigade, after 34 years of service, was celebrated in grand style last Friday night in the Gymnasium.

The guest list read like a veritable "Who's Who", headed by the Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, Alderman Ball.

Mr. French, The Hospital Secretary, presented Horace with a nice Tankard. Most appropriate, we thought.

A splendid time was had by all.

Hospital Fire Brigade

Welcome To:

Mrs. A. Langley	N.A.
Mrs. J. Parry	N.A.
Mrs. M. Potter	N.A.
Miss J Adams	T.H.A.

 

Also Cadet Nurses: