Contents -

Union News
Round the N.H.S.
Community Chest
Shop Talk
Letter to the Editors
Nursing News

UNION NEWS

C.O.H.S.E.

At a Meeting of the Ancillary Staffs Council held on October 26th, further consideration was given to the claims made by the Trade Union Side for improvements in pay and conditions of service.

The Council first dealt with the way in which the Governments Phase III Policy affected the anomalies created for Health Service Ancillary Staff by their not being allowed to follow the pay settlement made for Local Government Manual Workers in November 1972.

Following discussions it was agreed that in order to re-establish parity Health Service Ancillary Staff would be entitled to the following further improvements:-

1	An increase for full-time men of 40p a week.
2	An increase for full-time women of 52p a week.
3	Pro rata increases for all part-time workers and appropriate adjustments for apprentices.
4	The lowering of the age at which juveniles receive the full adult rate to 19 years.
5	An increase to public holiday entitlement to two days a year.
6	A payment for all hours worked on a Saturday as part of the normal week to be at a rate of time and a half.

This agreement and the date of operation will be subject to Pay Board approval.

General Pay Claim

On the general pay claim which is for a basic rate of £25 a week and for improvements in holidays and shift pay, the Management Side indicated that they would not be in a position to give a detailed reply until they had studied the Government's final proposals for Phase III but that the Joint Secretaries would be authorised to have continuing discussions so that a report could be made to a Special Meeting of the Ancillary Staffs Council which has been arranged for Friday, November 23rd.

B. McAuley,
Branch Secretary.

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ROUND THE NHS

Newton 'Age Concern'

Age Concern, Newton-le-Willows, has agreed to join St. Helens District Old People's Welfare Committee which is being set up to coincide with the new local government boundaries.

At present, old people in Newton Urban District are looked after by the local body. On April 1st, the Urban District goes out of existence and the area becomes part of a new St. Helens District.

Car Wash

As part of their rehabilitation scheme, Townleys Branch Hospital, Bolton, have instituted a car wash concern in the grounds.

Started with £5 for buckets, sponges and wash leathers, the scheme has been running for a year. Under the direction of a staff nurse, half a dozen patients are busily employed washing cars at 20p a time, and it is intended to expand the project.

Increasing Shortage of Long-Stay Beds

Dr. Ronald Dent, a consultant physician at Crumpsall Hospital, Manchester, told a meeting of the Royal Society of Health at Blackpool recently that there may not be enough long-stay hospital beds for old people within the next 20 years.

The number of over 85's in expected to rise to 594,000 in 1991 - more than 40 per cent on the 1971 figure - and he said that a 'great increase' was needed in the number of beds for ill old folk over 65.

Resources required in the hospital service had been 'grossly underestimated', and he believed there would be insufficient beds for the very old mentally ill.

In the meantime, he said, hospitals should make sure that long-term patients enjoyed as high a 'qualify of life' as possible, although they die on average after two years. He went on to say, 'We must allow choice not only in food but in clothing and where possible, in the way life is lived.'

'It is only too easy to care magnificently for the body, but so to sap the patient's will that she becomes little more than a machine, quite content to live from day to day in the limited world of the hospital ward.'

NHS Reorganisation

Transitional Arrangements

From November Regional and Area Health Authorities are responsible for co-ordinating the preparatory work necessary for the transfer of functions to the new authorities on the 1st April 1974; also for the integration and continuity of services from that date.

The D.H.S.S. has undertaken or commissioned some work which would have been left to Health Authorities, but has fallen behind schedule, e.g. deciding the most appropriate pattern of health districts.

Existing authorities have responsibility up to 1st April 1974. They are required to help ensure that there is a smooth hand-over, and in particular to carry out the specific tasks connected with the transfer of staff.

Joint Liaison committees are required to note the constitutional changes resulting from the appointment of the new health authorities, and to consult them about their future role until disbandment on or before 31.3.74.

L.R.H.B. News and Information

Computer Project

Work on an automatic analysis system capable of handling up to 20 different bio-chemical samples, based initially on Walton and Fazakerley, is to commence during the current financial year. Personal samples will be used to build up a 'profile' of patients on admission which will be available on demand and could possibly show up unsuspected trouble.

The D.H.S.S. is making a contribution to the cost of the laboratory, which will be one of the first in the country, whose facilities may subsequently be made available to out-patients clinics and local G.P.s.

Wirral A.H.A. Headquarters

Part of the nurses' home at St. James', Birkenhead has been released to accommodate the above.

Acting Secretary

Following the appointment of Mr. J.D. Shepherd as Regional Administrator to the Mersey R.H.A., Mr. P.P. Roberts has been appointed Acting Secretary to the L.R.H.B. as from 1.11.73.

Southport General Infirmary

Approval has been given for an £80,000 scheme to provide extensions to the Pathology and Administrative Departments.

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COMMUNITY CHEST

Price Limits on Schemes

Two Warrington Town Council schemes for the elderly have been given cost approval by the Department of Health and Social Security.

A social centre at Sankey Green can cost up to £47,262, and a home at Houghton Hall has a price limit of £26,504.

SHOP TALK

Following requests to a large number of countries, the Education Department Library has quite an accumulation of up-to-date information which would be useful to holiday travellers.

Holland, Japan, China, Russia, Spain, Iran, Denmark, Yugoslavia and several more are covered.

Some countries include information on their history, wild-life etc.

Call in the Library any time and have a browse.

R. BRUTON,
ASSISTANT EDUCATION OFFICER.

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LETTER TO THE EDITORS

Records Department,
Winwick Hospital,
WINWICK.

Dear Sirs,

In this, my first, and probably only contribution to the 'Standard', I should like to express to all members of the staff my heartfelt gratitude and thanks for the wonderful gifts on the occasion of my retirement after 36 years' service at Winwick. More important however, than the actual gifts were the many good wishes and expressions of appreciation which I received personally from those members of the staff whom I was able to meet. Unfortunately owing to sheer numbers, absences on leave, shift duties etc. coupled with the fact that work in our own department just would not stop, even for such an occasion, it just wasn't possible to meet everyone personally.

My duties as Medical Records Officer extended only over the last ten years of my service but I can honestly say that they were the happiest and most memorable due to the happy relationship with all departments cf the hospital, medical staff, nursing staff and particularly with those whom I now regard as the 'younger generation'.

This happy relationship however, could not have been achieved without the very able assistance of Pauline and Lynda who have done so much towards the efficiency of the Records Department and in creating and maintaining the goodwill which now exists. I must also say a big 'thank you' to Dorothy, Carol, Janice and other Cadets who have helped us at various times.

As I write this note I learn with very great pleasure that Pauline has been selected by the Appointments Committee as my successor and in wishing her well in her appointment I know that she will continue to raise the efficiency of the Department and to enjoy the co-operation of all those with whom her duties bring her in contact.

Thank you all once more for everything.

L. WALTERS
RECORDS OFFICER.

NURSING NEWS

Welcome to:

	Mrs. M. McEvoy	N/A
	Mrs. B. Smith	N/A
	Mr. M. Barr	D.C.N.
	Mrs. Potter	T/NA

Welcome back from secondment

	Mr. T. McNally	D.C.N.
	Mr. S. Henderson	D.C.N.

Farewell to:

	Miss C. Neild	P.N.
	Mrs. C. Clements	N/A
	Mrs. S. Hayes	N/A

Technical Library

New books available on loan -

'Physical Disability and Human Behaviour' - J.W. McDaniel
'The Care of the Cancer Patient' - L.G. Capra
'The Token Economy' - T. Ayllon & N.H. Azrin
'Introduction to Psychology' - Hilgard, Atkinson & Atkinson

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