Contents -

N.H.S. Reorganisation
Around the Hospital
Talking Point
Letters to the Editor
The Crabbit Old Woman - A Reply
Little Bo Peep
Nursing News

N.H.S. REORGANISATION

Transfer of staff

A recent circular asks employing authorities to prepare draft staff transfer schemes, in consultation with staff interests and Joint Liason Committees.

(Employing authorities= LRHB/HMC; Staff interests = Unions or staff organisations.)

'Transfer' in the majority of cases means a change of employing authority, rather than movement of:the individual. On consultation, the circular stresses that 'there should be full consultation at all levels by existing employing authorities (who) should consult their staff from the earliest stages and throughout the operation'.

Regarding the preparation of schemes, it says - 'Where it is clear that the whole of the staff of, for example, a hospital or health centre, will need to be transferred to a particular health authority, and where there is no doubt as to which health authority this should be, authorities will be able to proceed at once to preparing the draft transfer scheme.'

On the subject of psychiatric hospitals - 'When a psychiatric hospital serves a population the bulk of whom are in an area different from that in which the hospital is situated, it would usually be appropriate for the hospital to be managed by the Area Health Authority for the area mainly served.'

While the above points from the circular are those which seem most relevant to this hospital, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the picture they present.

They do imply, however, that
1. The draft scheme should be ready fairly soon.
2. Transfer will be technical rather than physical.

PC

Reorganisation News sheet No. 10

Briefly, this gives

The names of the Regional Heath Authorities and of their Chairmen.

Notice that details of an early retirement scheme for certain Senior Officers have been sent out in the form of a consultation paper.

A review of a series of courses for specialised training staff, which has been running since January this year, with the object of easing the burden on existing training staff which reorganisation hm caused.

PC

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AROUND THE HOSPITAL

Locker Keys

If any wards have lockers which don't, then they may be able to make use of the following keys - Nos. 111, 998, 944, 1013, 9663

Enquiries please to Ward 38.

PC

Union News

The Winwick. Branch of COHSE will hold its monthly meeting in the In-Service Training Room on, Monday next, September 10th, the subject for discussion will be - Nursing Staff Shortage.

B. McAuley,
Branch Secretary.

Fire Brigade Competition Success

A team drawn from the members of the Hospital Fire Brigade recently attended the B.S.F.A. (N.W. Dist.) Drill Competition Championship.

This was the first time since the last war for Winwick, and the first time in twenty years for any hospital to be represented.

The team didn't win, BUT their fine performance rated a special mention by officials. They were, in fact, a mere 7 seconds behind the winners.

Members were A. Yates, F. O'Driscoll, N. Bates, T. Flaherty, T. Pilling, K. Bowers and L. Bayliss.

The value of the far-sighted H.M.C. policy which permitted the continuation of a hospital fire-fighting force was made quite plain in competition with top North West Industrial fire teams.

C. Evans,
Fire Safety Officer.

Tascom Showcase

On Sunday we were privileged to receive a visit from the Tascom Showcase, a talented group of male and female soldiers from the U.S. Theatre Support Command, Europe (Tascom).

The groups repertoire is wide ranging and they gave us a marvellous performance which included contemporary music, soul, and country and western. The only complaint could be that we could have listened to much more.

It was gratifying to see so many people in the audience, a rough estimate puts the number at around 600, and everyone obviously enjoyed the show. Such was the audience response that the group played on for longer than they had originally planned.

It was also a touching moment when the group descended from the stage to mingle with the audience, it was indicative of the warm response the group engendered.

The aims of the group are:-
"To complement the popular 76th Army Band (who visited us last year) in strengthening the bonds of friendship and fellowship through the international language of music". There can be no doubts after their visit to Winwick that these aims are being achieved.

Mr. J. Paul Henry, Public Affairs and Information Officer, Burtonwood, U.S. Army Headquarters who originally arranged for the group's visit informs me that the group will be touring in England again in 1974. It is hoped that another visit to the hospital could be arranged. If this is forthcoming I can promise that this is something that no-one with an ear for good music should miss.

One incident which marred an otherwise excellent day was the loss by one of our American visitors of a camera in or around the Recreation Hall.

This was an Instamatic Camera Kodak X30. Should this camera be found it should be returned to the General Office, Winwick Hospital.

A.J. Makin.

Twelve Months Ago

The Rice Pudding Saga began... Mr. J.E. Wright proposed the formation of the '120' Club... Mr. T.R. Rajput publicised 'Participative Management'... the Swimming Pool Fund totalled £716.22... we began the series 'Twelve Months Ago'.

PC

Wanted

Babies High Chair (preferably wooden)
Good Condition. Box No. 1

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TALKING POINT

August Holiday Monday raised the question of whether our patients, working in Hospital Departments as part of their rehabilitation, should be paid, as our staff are, for a day which they haven't actually worked.

The question is quite simply answered - either Yes or No. Deciding which of these simple answers is the correct one, however, is not easy.

Sample difficulties are:-
1. There is a limit to the money available.
2. If you accept the principle of payment for work done, how do you justify payment for a day not worked? (It can be done - but how do YOU do it?)
3. If you bend the above principle, how far can you go? Overtime? Annual Holidays?

Clearly, no one can argue that rehabilitees should categorically be treated differently from staff, either in this respect or that of the working situation. The implications of such and argument would be most unpleasant. But just how far can you go? And how fast?

To return to the original question - the difficulties which it raises are many. But isn't it a mark of real progress that it can be asked at all?

PC

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Colleagues,

May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your kind wishes and many gifts which I received in hospital and afterwards when I came home.

It was s very kind of you all to remember me, as it helped to cheer me up, when I felt more and more miserable after my operation.

I am pleased to say I am now fit and well again and will soon be back at work.

Thanking you all once again.

Yours sincerely,
A. O'Connell.

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THE CRABBIT OLD WOMEN - A REPLY

What do we see, you ask, what do we see?
Yes, we are thinking when we're looking at thee.
We may seem to be hard when we hurry and fuss,
But there's too many of you and too few of us.
We would like far more time to just sit and talk,
To bath you and feed you and help you to walk,
To hear of your life and the things that you've done,
Your childhood, your husband, your daughters, your son.
But time is against us; there's too much to do.
Patients too many and nurses too few.
We grieve when we see you so sad and alone,
With nothing to live for nor friends of your own,
We feel all your pain and know of your fear
That nobody cares now your end is so near.
We too have loved, ones some young - and some old.
Who when they are ill must do as they're told.
Whom we place in the care of nurses like us.
Who seem not to care when they hurry and fuss.
But nurses are people with feelings as well,
And when we're together you will often hear tell,
Of the dear old gran in the very end bed,
And the lovely old dad and the things that he said.
We speak with compassion and love and feel sad.
When we think of your lives and the joy that you've had.
We know you are old and nature is cruel.
But our eyes are wide open, we don't think your a fool.
When the moment arrives for you to depart,
You will leave us behind with an ache in our heart,
When you sleep the long sleep, no more worry and care.
There are other old people and we must be there.
So please understand when we hurry and fuss,
There are too many of you and too few of us.

LIZ HOGBEN
Student Nurse.
(Sefton General)

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LITTLE BO-PEEP.

Little Bo-peep has lost her bleep,
Doesn't know where to find it;
Looked on units every one,
But no one knows where it has gone.
Which ward can she have left it on?

Think and think- where have you been?
Perhaps it fell behind a screen?
Get the porter on the 'phone -
Tell him why you feel alone,
How your day seems Oh so long.
There's so music in your song.

Put an advert on the notice board,
'If you find it, please don't hoard';
'Cos you just don't know what you will do.
Little Bo-peep she feels so blue.

How can she know which ward's in need?
Will you have to walk again at speed?
And meet again the patients
She doesn't know,
'Cause the bleep made her forget'
Some time ago.

F. Carroll.

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NURSING NEWS

Welcome to:-

Mrs. M. Scally SEN
Mrs. C.A. Williams N/A
Mrs. H. Robb N/A
Mrs. U. Carooppunnen N/A
Mrs. A. Atherton N/A
Mrs. M. Jenkins N/A
Miss S. Yoemars N/A
Mrs. V. Derbyshire T/SN
Mrs. M. Collier T/NA
Mr. V. Owen T/NA

Farewell to:-

Mrs. P. Hallett T/NA N.D.
Miss J. Keoeh T/NA (Holiday Employment)
Mr. J.A. Newton (Holiday Employment)

Technical Nursing Library

New books.available on loan -

'The Management and Nursing of Burns' Lang & Harvey
'Medicine for Nurses' - Toohey
'Suicidal Behaviour' - McCullock & Philip
'Basic Psychiatry' - Sim & Gordon
'An Introduction to Psychopathology' - D. Russell Davis
'Intensive Care of the.Heart and Lungs' - Harris, Neutze, Sellye, Simpson & Taylor
'Aids to Nursing Judgement' - M.M. Seedor
'Approaches to Action' - G. McLaghlan

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