Annual report : 1943 / Peterborough and District Memorial Hospital.

Peterborough and District Memorial Hospital.

Date:: 1943

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1943 / Peterborough and District Memorial Hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

12/38 (page 8)

Report of the Management Committee. Mr. President. My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the Management Committee of the Hospital, I have pleasure in submitting the Annual Report for the year 1943, and in addition I shall refer to activities which have taken place this year so far. The past year has been one of great activity and we venture to think that much progress has been made despite the war. The accommodation in the X-ray Department has been extended at a cost of £1,165, and the increased facilities thereby afforded have proved of great benefit both to the Hospital patients and the Medical Staff. The extension was made possible by the untiring efforts of Mr. H. Neaverson, who organised a Fund to defray the cost. The Fund was named “ The A. G. Taylor Memorial Fund,” and was in memory of the late Mr. Taylor’s great work for the advancement of X-ray practice. A total of £1,311 Is. lid. was raised. In this Department, Dr. A. H. Brockbank was appointed Radiologist in May last. His qualifications are L.R.C.P.(London), M.R.C.S.(England), D.M.R.E. Additional radio- graphic staff has also been engaged. The work has increased to an astonishing extent. Another important addition is the Rehabilitation Department at Thorpe Hall. This question of rehabilitation has the strong backing of the Ministry of Health. The alteration of the premises for this purpose is now complete and immediately all the necessary equipment has been obtained, the Department, which will be in the charge of Mr. Noel Smith, the Orthopaedic Surgeon, will be put into operation. It will be remembered that the Report on the 1942 Accounts mentioned there was to be a Maternity Ward at the Thorpe Hall Annexe with twenty-five beds. By instructions from the Ministry of Health we have had to cut this down to twelve beds with two Labour Wards and Nursery, etc., and until war emergencies are out of the way the Ministry of Health will not agree to any more space being taken for Maternity purposes. The South Ward Ladies’ Sewing Party presented a cheque value £444 13s. 5d. for the purpose of equipping the Maternity Ward and it can be said that the undertaking is a great success and the Committee are only sorry that the exigencies of war prevent many more Maternity beds being installed. In order to meet the difficulties occasioned by the shortage of Nurses, it was decided to open a preliminary Training School for girls who wished to enter the Nursing Profession. West End House, Thorpe Road, was rented for the purpose and furnished, and the scheme has proved to be a success. The present Operating Theatre being inadequate to meet the needs of the Hospital, it was decided to erect a second Theatre. After some months of preparation and negotiation the necessary permission has been obtained from the Authorities and the work has recently been put in hand. The cost will be approximately £4,000. The Waiting List has caused, and is still causing, the Committee much concern, but at last there seems some prospect of it being reduced. The balconies on the ground floor and upper floor of the Medical and Surgical Wards are to be enclosed, provided with heating and lighting, and these alterations will give us another sixteen beds. After careful consideration and investigation, the Management Committee has decided to appoint, if possible, the following Consultant- Specialists, who will attend from time to time when occasion demands. They will be paid a retaining fee and an agreed fee for each visit.