WINWICK HOSPITAL WARRINGTON

THE STANDARD

1st December, 1972Vol. 2. No. 26.

Editorial Comment

Some time has passed since the form and content of the Standard, both actual and potential, was the subject of a J.C.C. meeting.

We have, tried to implement some of the suggestions which came out of that meeting, and certainly we're more 'newsy'.

But we're not out of the wood yet. We need more and more involvement by more and more people if we are to fulfill our potential.

More hard information from the top.

More views and reactions from everywhere.

MEMORANDUM

Will you please co-operate in our exercise to speed the disposal of rubbish.

On Thursday, 23rd November an issue of paper sacks will be made to all wards and departments and you are asked to place all flammable rubbish therein, for ease of collection and incineration.

Please continue to place bottles, cans and aerosols of an explosive nature in the dustbin for tipping.

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STEPPING STONES CLUB

A Social Evening is being held on Friday, 29th December at St. Mary's Catholic Club, W'gton. Staff are asked to support this venture as the proceeds are in aid of Stepping Stones Club. There will be a late bar.

Tickets, which are £1.00 each, are available from Mr J. Beck and Mr E. Villiers.

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE

LIBRARY NOTE

Over the last few years we have been receiving posters and similar display items for the wards from a large number of foreign Embassies. (We still have a few in stock).

Often they send us booklets, maps and tourist information as well. If you haven't already decided where you will spend your holiday next year why not have a flip through some possibilities in the comfort of your own library? Norway, Malta, Luxembourg, Israel, Iran, Netherlands, Greece. And if you want to leave the Joneses behind good and proper how about China? Cuba? Ecuador?

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The Warrington Branch of the National Assoc. for Mentally Handicapped Children are engaged in collecting tinfoil and tinfoil products such as pie cases, etc. and would be glad to receive amounts from anyone. Should you have any, please contact Mr. Appleton, Hospital Library.

Thanks. PUBLICATION COMM.

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The following Student/Pupil Nurses have been successful in the recent examinations/assessments for the General Nursing Council.

Final Examination in mental nursing for the Register

Settle, J.F.
Terretta, M.E.

Pupil Nurse Assessments (Psychiatric)

Burt, J.C.
Burt, T.
Davies, E.
Kerry, D.
Midgley, J.
Wainwright, R.
Woodward, T.

Dear Friends,

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all, and have really appreciated your friendship. I will be taking with me many happy memories of the hospital, staff, and patients.

My thanks go to; Miss Coppack, Miss Downey, Mr. Wright, the Officers, and the Management Committee, for employing me and putting up with me during my stay here, To the Teaching Department, under the careful guidance of Mr. Morris and his colleagues. Thank you for your assistance and encouragement. Especially to the Nursing, Medical, and domestic staff whom I have had the greatest pleasure working with. Thank you for your loyalty, support and above all your friendship.

Winwick will never be far from my thoughts.

MURIEL CRADDOCK

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UNION NEWS

The next Branch Meeting of the Winwick Branch of the Confederation of Health Service Employees will be held on Monday, 4th December at 5.00 p.m. in the In-Service Training Room.

Subject for discussion is the Ancillary Staffs' pay claim.

B. McCAULEY
BRANCH SECRETARY

UNION NEWS

C.0.H.S.E.

Injuries to Staff

As Trade Union members should now be aware, a completed hospital accident report form is acceptable to the Criminal Injuries Board in the event of a claim arising following injury caused by a patient.

However, claims can only be considered when the duration of incapacity exceeds three weeks from the date of the incident. In the event of a union member wishing to claim Criminal Injuries Compensation, the Head Office of the Trade Union must be notified within three months of the incident.

Whitley Council - Ancillary Staffs Council

Pay Claim

A meeting of the Ancillary Staffs Council was held on Friday, 17th November, 1972 to resume negotiations on the claim for £4 per week 35 hours` a week, four weeks annual holiday and £1 per week lead-in payment for those staff not in receipt of a bonus scheme.

The Management Side said that because of the uncertainty of the Government's policies they were unable to make an offer in reply to the Staff Side's claim. In these circumstances it was agreed that both Sides of the Council would make a Joint approach to the Secretary of State for Social Services expressing their concern at the effect on the Health Service ancillary staff of Government policy.

The Joint Chairmen will now make arrangements for an urgent meeting with Sir Keith Joseph which will be followed by a recalled meeting of the Trade Union Side.

B. McAULEY

SOCIAL THERAPY REVIEW

Saturday saw the staging of our Variety Show, put on by forty people (both patients and staff) who had given much tine and effort to achieve our very fair success. Of the eleven sketches three stood out particularly - The Paper Hanging, The Minuet and The Rock and Roll. If you go by the amount of noise and mirth in the audience then the Rock and Roll was the hit of the Show.

We have been invited to several other hospitals - Cranage, Denbigh and Newchurch in the near future. And have accepted. None of the staff we invited personally to Saturday's Show even bothered to reply, let alone come. I suppose it all depends on who you talk to, but the general reaction of the audience, and the amount of pleasure which those taking part obtained, leave no doubt that this was our most polished and successful stage venture yet. Which makes it sad that so few saw it.

When the Manchester Black and White Minstrels gave their show on a Saturday in October, the Social Therapy Dept. took on the job of ensuring that as many as possible were enabled to attend. The result was an audience of 600, the vast majority our patients. The total number of patients attending both performances last Saturday was 296, and the League of Friends people who went round the wards to help, both afternoon and evening, with those in wheelchairs etc. expressed disappointnent at the apathy they encountered. If we'd played to only one person we'd have had our fun - but the show was not for our pleasure. It was for the pleasure of the whole hospital. And it was good enough to have given pleasure to virtually the whole hospital. Sad that so few people got to see it.

D. J. DEVINE

WORK STUDY - Part 14

Work Measurement cont.

Time Study - Time study is a work measurement technique for recording the times and rates of working for the elements of a specified job carried out under specific conditions, and for analysing the data so as to obtain the time necessary for carrying out the job of a defined level of performance.

The main steps in taking a time study are:

1.Define the job to be studied.
2.Time a typical worker.
3.Rate, according to a numerical scale, that worker in relation to a basic performance.
4.Modify the time taken by the worker, according to his rating, to establish a basic time for the job.
5.Allow additional time to take account of fatigue and other appropriate factors.

Defining The Job:- Unless the job is closely specified it will be impossible for the time study to be carried out properly. This fact underlines the need for effective method study. Moreover, the method and conditions specified should reflect those under which the job will normally be done. Unless this requirement is observed the resultant time value will be "tight" or "loose" and lead to poor industrial relationships and to disagreement about earnings.

When the job has been adequately specified, the work cycle is broken down into distinct constituent parts, which may be human or machine operations. Those component parts are known as elements. Because these elements are important in a subsequent step (rating) and can be useful as a basis for synthetic time values they should be reasonably short - generally from three seconds to twenty seconds.

Time a Typical Worker:- It is important to take studies on a number of representative workers, all of whom should be, as far as possible, about average for the department. There is a reason for this insistence in selecting "representative workers".

In setting time standards, especially when they are to be used for incentives, the standard to be aimed at is one which can be attained by the "representative worker" suited and accustomed to his work and which can be maintained without causing him undue fatigue. The recorded time have to be adjusted by factors to give such a standard. These factors are dependent on the judgement of the work study man. Experience has shown that accuracy of judgement is only attainable within a fairly narrow range of speeds round about the "average". The study of slow or unskilled workers or of exceptionally fast workers will tend to result in time standards that are either unduly "loose", and hence uneconomic, or unduly "tight" in which case they are unfair to the worker and will probably be the subjects of complaints later.

J. SHAW

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SUPERANNUATION INCOME TAX

Following my article last week, may I point out that from next April it will be unnecessary for staff to claim tax allowance on their superannuation contributions, as the amount of superannuation paid from next year will be deducted from the annual salary before it is assessed for tax. However, my remarks still apply to all superannuation contributions paid until March, 1973.

D. McKENDRICK

CLUB NEWS    Billiards & Snooker

Results

Billiards:Thames Board 4 Winwick 3
Snooker:Latchford Cons 6 Winwick B 2
Winwick A 0 Farmers Arms 8
FixturesTues. December 5th
BilliardsWinwick v Latchford Cons.
Thur. December 7th
SnookerWinwick A v Rylands A
Winwick B NO MATCH
P HASTRY

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SMALL ADS. DEPT?

Our experience with requests for material for bazaars has shown that there must be quite a few folk in the hospital with bits and pieces to dispose of. And probably just as many who would like to acquire them. If you have anything you want to buy or sell or give away, let us know. We'll give you hospital-wide coverage. Even Box Nos. if necessary. And please remember to follow up your contacts in your own time.

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FAREWELL TO

M. Craddock - Deputy Sister
C. Freeman - Staff Nurse
O. Greenslade - S.E.N.
J. Jones - N/A
J. Newnes - N/A

We were glad to receive the following letter this week:

"After having a rather eventful journey we arrived safely here in Brisbane. We were grounded by fog at Zurich and instead had to stay the night in Rome, because of the fog we could not see anything at either Rome or Zurich.

We were then escorted into Brisbane by one of their famous electrical thunderstorms which was rather frightening as the pilot had to rely on the radar alone.

However, we are now enjoying beautiful hot sunshine not to mention a gorgeous little granddaughter."

Betty Lee
(Charge Hand CSSD)

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ATTENDING S.E.N. Admin. Course at Mabel Fletcher College from 4th to 8th December 1972 - Mrs. B. Mercer S.E.N.

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Unit 5 Xmas Party Friday 8th December.
(Annexe to Recreation Hall)

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Resident Staff Party - Nurses Home - Friday 8th Dec.

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