Annual report of the Board of Governors : 1946 / District Infirmary Ashton-under-Lyne.

  • District Infirmary (Ashton-under-Lyne, England)
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Board of Governors : 1946 / District Infirmary Ashton-under-Lyne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/64 (page 6)
    ANNUAL REPORT 1946 The Governors have pleasure in submitting to the Sub¬ scribers the 86th Annual Report of the District Infirmary. The passing into law of the National Health Services Bill was a major event of the year 1946, and your Board realise that when the Act comes into operation many changes will be made in the method of administering what has been for eighty-six years a voluntary hospital. Reference to this matter is made elsewhere in the following pages. Your Chairman, Deputy-Chairman and the General Super¬ intendent have attended meetings of the Regional Council of the British Hospitals’ Association on several occasions, and kept in touch with the developments of hospital policy. Mr. Clegg and the Assistant Secretary have represented the Infirmary at meetings in connection with the Contributory Scheme movement. Conferences took place during the passage through Parliament of the National Health Services Bill with Mr. Hervey Rhodes, the member of Parliament for Ashton- under-Lyne, and his interest in the work of the Infirmary was highly appreciated. Despite many difficulties a large amount of vitally important work has been carried out in the wards and special departments. The staff have given whole-hearted service, and many letters bearing testimony to their skill and patience, and other evidences of deep gratitude, have been received. The nursing shortage is more acute than ever, and the Government seems powerless to help the hospitals in their struggle. Waiting lists are phenomenally high and much avoidable suffering, as well as interference with working capa¬ city, are the inevitable results.