Contents -

Editorial
Shop Talk
In the Group
Letter to the Editors
Miscellany
Nursing News

EDITORIAL

Many responsible employees of this hospital have criticised both the theory and the practice of 'boutique therapy' ever since its inception.

The staff side of the J.C.S.C. were asked to convey these criticisms to Management, but were twice unable to effect any change in policy. Dr. Wallace has now, in an open letter to the Rehabilitation Committee, associated himself with these criticisms. The Rehabilitation Committee already has quite a few feathers in its cap, and, if the criticisms are just, could usefully review this matter.

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SHOP TALK

Six tickets are available for a Nurses' Christian Fellowship Carol Service, to be held at 7.45p.m. on Thursday, 13th December, 1973 at the Social Services Centre, Cleveland Street, Birkenhead.

Anyone wishing to attend should apply for a ticket to Mrs. Middlefell, Principal Nursing Officer.

Research Project

An approach has been made by Mr. Simm, part-time Lecturer, Department of Management Sciences, the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, to undertake a research project into sociological aspects in the care of psychiatric patients in hospital.

Mr. Simm will commence a preliminary survey on Wednesday, 5th December, 1973 and will be visiting wards and departments.

Annual Staff Functions

For the second year in succession, Winwick Staff will be able to choose between attending a staff dance or a social evening.

Staff dances will be held on the first two Fridays in January - the 4th and the 11th - and the social evening will take place on Tuesday, January 8th 1974.

Application forms have been circulated to staff and are due to be returned on or before Wednesday December 12th. Tickets will be ready for collection from the General Office as from Wednesday, December 19th.

Fire Instructions

A list of fire instructions for all Winwick personnel has now been drawn up and is being distributed.

The document contains instructions on fire prevention, evacuation procedure and the combatting of fires, and will replace the previous fire instructions within the hospital.

Joint Consultative Staffs Committee

The Staff side meeting took place in the Library on Wednesday, December 5th. It is hoped that this will be followed by the full meeting on Thursday, December 13th when the November Agenda can be discussed.

Christmas Payment of Salaries

Salaries for monthly paid staff will be available in the banks for payment on Friday, 21st December unless they are in the process of serving notice this month,

Weekly paid staff will receive two weeks' pay on Thursday, December 20th - one week's actual earnings and one week's nominal pay. Any necessary adjustments will be made to the wages paid on Thursday, 3rd January 1974.

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IN THE GROUP

Protest Over Delay

The Newton and Ashton Round Table, who spent 15 months fund raising to buy £2,000 worth of heart resuscitation equipment for Warrington General, are protesting about the delay in bringing the equipment into use,

The organisation mounted one of their biggest ever compaigns to raise the necessary money in the belief that the coronary care equipment was urgently needed. However, the equipment could not be installed on delivery, because the modernisation and extension of the General's medical reception unit had not been completed.

A spokesman for the Warrington H.M.C. has said that they were waiting for the Regional Hospital Board to tender for improvements to the department. Building could be finished in three months' time, and the equipment donated by the Round Table would then be installed.

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LETTER TO THE EDITORS

"I would like to explain to all the staff at Winwick Hospital, particularly the nursing staff, that the present electricity cuts and fuel shortages .are not the fault of the Hospital Management Committee nor its senior officers. It is a National problem and we at this hospital, as indeed at every other hospital in the country, have been informed by the Department that we are not immune from cuts in supplies of oil and must suffer the same 10% cut as factories, houses, etc.

The directive has already been felt in the hospital as consumption of oil is far greater than deliveries, therefore stocks are very low. Having said all this, I would like to think that in future, when my men or I go into a ward or a department to investigate a complaint about reduced heat, staff will try to see our point of view, that we are doing our best in a difficult situation. Might I repeat here an old North Country saying "A little light and often is better than a lump all at once."

I might add that I have attended two or three meetings of Unit Officers over the past two weeks when I have explained the position on what is likely to happens asking for their co-operation in trying to make the best of a difficult job."

J. Wood,
Hospital Engineer.

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MISCELLANY

International Labour Organisation Conference

A world conference of nurses is at present considering the acute crisis in the profession which they consider is due to recruiting problems, high turnover and the high drop out rate. Difficult working conditions, increased complexity and poor pay account for these. But they also say there is much sex discrimination in nursing, and recommend that more men should enter the Profession. Other questions under discussion are standards and methods of training, trade union rights and facilities for collective bargaining.

Mentally Handicapped Children

The National Society for M.H.C's report 'Mixing and Grouping' concludes that if the mentally-handicapped of both sexes are to live side-by-side the resultant problems must be dealt with realistically. If those responsible are fearful of these problems and are unwilling to mix the sexes, they must be prepared to face different and unpleasant difficulties.

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NURSING NEWS

Congratulations to the following candidates who were successful in the General Nursing Council's recent Assessments/Examinations:-

Student Nurses		Pupil Nurses
Appleton N.		Atkins F.M.
Burke G.		Bracegirdle D.
Forrest		D. Bryant 0.
Llewellyn J.		Chaplin E.
Morris J.		Franks..E,E.
Nugent B.		Hand R.
Worrell M.A.		Harrison B.
Ramtuhul A.K.D.		Handley B,
		Hull J.A.
		Jones B.E.
		Lamb E.
		Maroon J.C.
		Neild C.A.
		Potter B.A.
		Thompson M.P.
		Turner. W.
		West A.

Technical Nursing Library

New books available on loan -

'Industrial Behaviour and Personnel Management'	-	T. Lupton
'Computers, Planning and Personnel Management'	-	E. Mumford
'Changing the System'	-	Blenkinsop & Nelson
'Job Analysis'	-	Roff & Watson

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