Annual report : 1942 / Essex County Hospital, Colchester.

  • Essex County Hospital, Colchester.
Date:
1942
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1942 / Essex County Hospital, Colchester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    39/48 (page 33)
    Hospital Workers’ Committee THIRTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT The Thirty-second Annual Report of the Worker’s Hospital Committee is presented by its Executive Committee this year with exceptional pleasure: it is the record of a very successful result—the reaching of the target of £8,000 put before it last year. The amount actually raised in Colchester and District during 1942 was £8,204 10s. 0d., and after deducting £46 14s. Od. for expenses the Hospital received the sum of£8,157 16s. 0d., as against £7,903 12s. lOd. in 1941, (an increase of £254 3s. 2d.) The dislocation of business caused by the war and the transfer of so many workers (both men and women) into the Forces and to work of national importance has created a drop in the amounts sent in from the majority of establishments, but this has been made up by the larger sums received from munitions works, and from several new centres, some of w'hich are only temporary, but none the less very welcome additions to the honourable company of contributors. In addition to this, the Lion Walk office, which continues to go from strength to strength under the able control of Miss L. Jones, increased its contribution of £2,121 3s. lOd. in 1941 to £2,297 16s.\6d. in 1942, an advance of £176 12s. 8d. Considering all things it is felt to be a most encouraging result, and the Executive Committee desire to offer their sincere thanks to everyone concerned in raising this very substantial sum. It should be pointed out that so far, no raising of the weekly contribution has been asked for. Notwithstanding the largely increased cost of running the Hospital, the contribution still stands at 3d. per week for married persons (to cover the contributor, his wife, and all children of school age for free Hospital treatment), and 2d. per week for single persons (to cover themselves only). This treatment is such as is available at the Essex County Hospital or under certain conditions at other Institutions, but it does not cover treatment in senile and incurable cases. Such as these are not considered to be Hospital cases, and have to be looked after at other Institutions controlled by the Local Government Authorities. It is the Medical Practitioners who decide which cases come in this category, and it should be noted that the Hospital cannot accept financial responsibility for their treatment. During the year the death occurred of Mr. Geo. W. Doe. He had been a very prominent wrorker for the Worker’s Hospital Committee since it was started thirty-two years ago, firstly as a representative of Messrs. Davey, Paxman & Co. Ltd., and afterwards as the Hospital Committee’s representative on the Worker’s Executive Committee. He was one of the stalwarts, and in his day had rendered valuable service to the cause he had so much at heart. Not¬ withstanding his great age he retained his interest in and continued his work for the Committee nearly to the end, and he will be greatly missed by his col¬ leagues. His widow has the sincere sympathy of the Worker’s Executive Committee in her great loss. The Workers’ Committee have again been represented on the Hospital Committee by Mr. F. W. Firman, Mr. H. Seaborn, and Mr. G. W. J. Cocker, and many thanks are accorded to them for the time they give to the fortnightly meetings of that Committee. An acknowledgment is made, too, of the very valuable work undertaken by the Ward Visitors, who take on the duty of visiting the wards and chatting to the patients. These -visitors send in reports of conditions in the Hospital, and tell of the good work being performed by the Medical and Nursing Staffs, and the Workers’ Committee would like again to offer their sincere thanks to both doctors and nurses for all they are doing for the patients. Signed on behalf of the Executive Committee, F. W. FIRM IN, Chairman. C. A. NEWNUM, Hon. Secretary.