RETREAT PSYCHIATRISTS’ PRIVATE CONSULTING PRACTICE

Retreat psychiatrists also acted as consultants, seeing private patients and patients referred to them by other doctors. Private patients were seen either at the Retreat, or at consulting rooms elsewhere. Such consulting work formally began under Dr Bedford Pierce, Medical Superintendent of the Retreat 1892-1922. Pierce’s private practice had begun in a small way in the 1890s, and it included seeing patients in consultation with their doctors at a variety of places including their own homes. In 1903 with the Retreat’s permission, he opened private consulting rooms at 22 Park Place (from 1906 at 6 Park Square), Leeds, where he attended on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. The consulting practice consequently became more extensive, and had the advantage of publicising the Retreat to Pierce’s clients. Later Retreat psychiatrists, like Pierce, used consulting rooms in Leeds as well as at the Retreat in York. Dr Arthur Pool (Medical Superintendent 1938-1950) used rooms at 43 Park Square Leeds and, from 1946, at 24 Park Square Leeds. In the wake of the Mental Health Act of 1959, the Retreat was keen to expand its out-patient treatment, by extending the number of consulting centres elsewhere. Consulting Rooms were opened at 28 Albion Street, Hull and at 10 Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough. These were attended on a weekly basis by Retreat consultant psychiatrists. From 1963, the Middlesbrough attendance was given up and instead Retreat doctors gave sessions at the Duchy House Nursing Home, Queens Road, Harrogate. The consultations at Leeds, Hull, and Harrogate continued to be used for some years. However, with the difficult economic climate of the 1970s, it was decided that all out-patients would henceforth be seen in York or occasionally in their own homes. The surviving material relates to the private patients of the following Retreat doctors: Dr Bedford Pierce, Medical Superintendent of the Retreat 1892-1922 Dr Arthur Pool, Physician Superintendent of the Retreat 1938-1950 Dr Alfred Torrie, Physician Superintendent of the Retreat 1951-1956 Dr Cecil C Beresford, Assistant Medical Officer 1934-1950, Clinical Director 1950-1956, Physician Superintendent 1956-1962 Dr Ronald W Bryson, Registrar 1951-2, Consultant and Deputy Physician Superintendent 1952-1981

1895-1962

17 boxes

The material is available in the Rare Materials Room subject to the usual conditions of access.Some files have access restrictions which are explained in the item-level catalogue records.