12th October
1937
Matron’s Reports NHNN/N/3/2
Cicely U Tafe – reports from 21 May 1929 to 22 May 1945
‘I have to report that it is increasingly difficult to keep the wards running smoothly and to get the work efficiently carried out in the hospital owing to the shortage of nurses and maids. In spite of repeated advertisements inserted over a period of many months, the nursing staff is 12 short and the domestic staff 3 short. At the moment there are 6 Assistant Nurses on night duty from a Co-operation. This is a very unsatisfactory arrangements, because they are only partially trained and therefore not very capable. It is also expensive, as the fees are two guineas per week for each nurse, with board, lodging and laundry. Unfortunately it is not likely that this situation will improve. A great number of hospitals are in the same position. The difficulties will increase in January 1938, owing to the fact that the General Nursing Council will then insist upon a higher standard of education among the nurses entering for the State examinations. Candidate who do not hold the Schools Leaving Certificate or its equivalent will be obliged to take a test-examination set by the General Nursing Council, for which there will be an entrance fee of 5/-. It is felt that this will tend to increase the shortage of nurses in small and special hospitals.
After many trying weeks the work of re-construction in the kitchen is nearly at an end. A stand and gas ring has been provided for a stockpot, but I understand the pot was not included in the estimate. May I have the permission of the Board to buy one? In aluminium it will cost £10.4.9. – in copper £12.14.0.’
On This Day is a diary of day to day life in the Hospital covering 1859 to the 1940’s.
Extracts are taken from the staff records, letters, the reports of the Matron and the Lady Superintendent, and the minutes of the Board of Management and the Medical Committee. They were compiled with the help of Janet Townsend, Frankie Alves, Louise Shepherd, Michael Clark and Liz Yamada
The item of the month also contains items highlighted by archive staff.