EDITORIAL COMMENT

News. comes through, from time to time, concerning the Swimming Pool Fund, and plainly a fair amount of effort has already gone into raising what money we now have. But - using our present methods - will we ever reach our target amount? And what is that target?

If we do get the money, will we get the swimming pool? Already there are suggestions that the Fund will be used for other purposes, each, no doubt, more worthy than the last.

It does seem that some clarification is needed.

Social Therapy Review

Sports News

Thursday, 27th July - Rounders match against Mary Dendy played at home resulted in victory for Winwick, 8 rounders to 2 rounders.

Cricket match against Deva played at Deva resulted in another win for Winwick by 66 runs to 62.

Trips

On Tuesday the department ran a trip to Sherdley Park staffed by one of our evening staff - Ann Jones. It was for the older members of our community who thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a walk outside the coach and not just views through the window.

Flower Arranging

Last week the flower arranging took place on Female 4 Up and had a wonderful reception. Not only did the patients join in and make very good arrangements but the staff were also very enthusiastic and infused interest into the patients which is excellent therapy. If any Charge nurse or Sister would like to have this venue on their ward, would they please contact Social Therapy.

K. Appleton

Staff Recreation Club

Here is the result of the ballot held in the Hospital Social Club on 27th and 28th July, 1972, for the position of Secretary:

	Mr. L. Jones	- 32 votes
	Mr. H. Appleton	- 16 votes

In the Annual Election of Committee members the results were:

Ladies Committee members - 2 required

*	Mrs. M. McKendrick	- 40 votes
	Mrs. P. Jones	- 32 votes
	Mrs. L. Rustage	- 12 votes

Gentlemen Committee members - 6 required

	Mr. A. Badger	- 41 votes
*	Mr. F. O'Driscoll	- 35 votes
	Mr. T. Pilling	- 32 votes
	Mr. E. Aston	- 31 votes
*	Mr. E. Critchley	- 25 votes
	Mr. I. Jackson	- 21 votes
	Mr. M. Barr	- 20 votes
	Mr. T. Flaherty	- 20 votes
	Mr. T. Allen	- 16 votes

* Denotes re-election.

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Union News

The monthly meeting of the Winwick Branch of the Confederation of Health Service Employees will be held at 7.30 p.m., on Monday, 7th August in the In-service Training Room.

B. McAuley
Branch Secretary

120 Club

With further reference to the. proposed club I suggested organising, and wrote about in The Standard issue Number 5, Volume 2, for the purpose of raising money for a swimming pool (or - my own favourite - a hospital coach).

I was very disappointed with the response. Only twenty members of the staff asked to support this fund-raising effort.

May I briefly recap on the aims and objects of the 120 Club.

120 members paying 15p (3/-) per week for twenty weeks, a weekly prize of £3.00 and a final prize of £150, balance for charitable purposes £150.

If you wish to support, please let me have your name as soon as possible, to get this worthy effort off the ground.

J. E. Wright.

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Industrial Relations: Code of Practice

Part 5. Employment Policies

1. Clear and comprehensive employment policies are essential to good relations between management and employees. They help management to make the most effective use of its manpower resources and give each employee opportunity to develop his potential.

2. Management should initiate and accept primary responsibility for these policies. But they should be developed in consultation or negotiation, as appropriate, with employee representations.

3. Management should ensure that its employment policies are not influenced by conditions relating to age, sex or other personal factors except where they are relevant to the job.

Recruitment and Selection

4. In recruiting and selecting employees management should:

	a)	Decide the qualifications and experience needed by applicants;
	b)	Consider filling vacancies by transfer or promotion from within the undertaking;
	c)	Obtain as much information about applicants as is relevant to selection for the job, but avoid enquiries which are unnecessary for that purpose;
	d)	Base selection on suitability for the job;
	e)	Explain the main terms and conditions of employment and give any relevant information about trade union arrangements before an applicant is engaged.

5. Management should also:

	a)	Check recruitment and selection methods regularly to ensure that they are effective;
	b)	Ensure that those who carry out recruitment and selection are competent to do so.

Training

Management should ensure that new employees are given:

	a)	Induction Training;
	b)	Any Training in the job needed to supplement previous education, training and experience.

Management should ensure that young people entering employment for the first time are also given broader initial instruction covering:

	a)	a general introduction to their working life, including the importance of health and safety precautions;
	b)	Basic training in related skills, where appropriate, as well as specific training in their particular job.

8. Management should:

	a)	Ensure that any necessary further education and training is provided when there is a significant change in the content or level of the job;
	b)	Encourage employees to take advantage of relevant further education and training opportunities at all stages of their careers.

Working Conditions

9. The Factories Act and other legislation lay down minimum standards about working conditions. Management should aim at improving on these standards in consultation and co-operation with employees and their representatives.

10. Management should therefore take all reasonable steps to:

	a)	Improve standards of "housekeeping" including the cleanliness, tidiness, lighting, heating, ventilation and general appearance of the workplace;
	b)	reduce noise, strain and monotony as far as practicable;
	c)	ensure that hazards are reduced to a minimum and the work done as safely as possible.

11. Management and employee representatives should:

	a)	Take all reasonable steps to ensure that employees use protective equipment observe the standards laid down by law and co-operate in agreed safety measures;
	b)	Make the best use of arrangements for consultation about safety and health.

12. Every employee should:

	a)	Ensure that he understands the health and safety precautions and observes them;
	b)	Make use of protective equipment.

Publications Committee.

Next Week: Communication and Consultation.

(This series is taken from H.M.S.O. booklet - Industrial Relations: Code of Practice)

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Cacti and Succulents (Cont)

In the past three articles I have written about five favourite genera of cacti, of which there are hundreds of different kinds, but now I am about to write about another type of Cacti -"Parasitic Cacti". These are plants that do not normally grow off their own roots on the ground, but off other plants which are usually found in the tropical jungles or mountainous regions.

Most parasitic plants grow in clefts of trees, where leaves have become lodged and rotted, making perfect places for this type of plant to grow. These plants start their lives as a result of exotic birds carrying the seeds, on which they had been feeding, to these fertile places amongst the trees, and depositing them.

Although I have never seen them in their natural habitat, I can just imagine what a wonderful sight it must be, after seeing the type of flowers these plants produce in my greenhouse.

A few of these plants which can be collected, are as follows:

Aparacactus; Epiphylum; Heliocereus; and Rhipsalis, but there are plenty more.

Now this type of cactus has a characteristic of its own. Cacti of this type always seem to hang down as they grow older, and if they are grown in a hanging basket with a certain amount of shade from direct sunlight, they produce numerous large exotic flowers.

These genera must never be allowed to become dry, especially at the roots, for they will surely die, and try to keep them at least 45°ree; F in winter.

Bert Green

Next Week: Other Succulents.

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Would you Like to Paint? (Cont)

Now that the yellow ochre coloured film of paint on your board is dry you can start to paint in the sky. Commence at the top of the board. If you will observe nature you will see a rich ultramarine or cobalt blue overhead fading to a green/blue, pinky/blue or lemon yellow/blue on the horizon. The brush strokes along the horizon should be horizontal, so too, with the distance colours. These colours will have a good percentage of white (75%+) mixed with them.

Middle distance colours too are muted with white but to a lesser extent. But the foreground can be quite strong in colour contrasts. Although a common fault in oil painting is that the colours are used too deep not allowing for the slight deepening on drying. Another fault is that shadows are left out giving the picture a childlike appearance.

Always clean your brushes with sub turps when changing your colours. Wash them in mild soapy water on finishing.

Don't mix colour on colour. This gives your picture a dirty look. Wipe your mixing area on your palette frequently.

Experiment with colour

	BLACK	- Ultramarine Blue and Alizarine Crimson
	FLESH	- Naples Yellow and Cadmium Red
	ORANGE	- Chrome Yellow and Cadmium Red
	PRUSSIAN BLUE	- Mixed with various yellows and browns will give you some exciting greens.

To be a landscape painter you should be able to paint trees which look like the species you are trying to depict (an oak like an oak)

A good way to improve tree drawing is to take a sketch pad and pencils and draw from nature. There are hundreds of varieties of trees in Winwick grounds. Add colour notes in the margin and paint in colour at the earliest opportunity.

B. Naylor

Poisons in the Home

Details of cases of accidental poisoning in England and Wales in 1970 have recently been published. The list makes sad but instructive reading.

Dealing only with those deaths known to be due to accidental poisoning, many classes of medicines are represented, including analgesics, anticoagulants, antihistamines, antihypertensives, antiseptics, antiparkinsonian agents and tranquillisers.

Of the single agents known to be responsible barbiturates topped the list with 149 deaths attributed to them. Other hypnotics were responsible for 32 deaths, alcohol for 33 and aspirin for 11 deaths.

But in the home there are to be found many toxic or dangerous substances other than those used in medicine, and the list includes such common substances as paraffin, lead paint and surgical spirit.

Some perhaps more unexpected substances to be found in the list are trichlorethylene (for dry cleaning?), hypochlorite solution (perhaps a household bleach), paraquat (when will gardeners learn not to store this in a fruit drink bottle!?), cyanide, cresol (possibly lysol) sulphuric acid and diesel oil.

A total of 590 deaths were reported to be the result of accidental poisoning. The number of accidental poisonings that occurred without fatal results can only be conjectured.

But let it be realised that all these were accidental.

Not one of them was necessary.

Most of them should have been preventable.

In your home are your medicines in a securely-fastened and correctly labelled container? Are they in a safe place inaccessible to children?

Is the weed-killer in its properly-labelled container? Also the paraffin, that spare pint of petrol, the methylated spirit, the turpentine and all other possibly dangerous substances - all in their correct containers, properly labelled?

Are you sure?

H. Taberner

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Welcome to:

Mr. S. A. Austin - Apprentice Gardener
Mrs. P. Kerfoot - Nursing Assistant

Farewell to:

S.E.N. Stringfellow
Pupil Nurse B. Kelly

Congratulations to:

Mr. J. Molloy on obtaining his S.R.N.

The following students on obtaining their R.M.N.

C. O'Driscoll
C. Freeman
J. Heaps
B. Leigh
R. Marsh
E. Tiernan
M. Wilkinson
D. Bowles

Mr. J. A. Jolley on his appointment as Rehabilitation Officer (Nursing).

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