Annual report of the Mendip Hospital Management Committee : 1948.

  • Mendip Hospital Management Committee.
Date:
1948
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Mendip Hospital Management Committee : 1948. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/16 (page 13)
    ' THE MENTAL HOSPITAL, WELLS, SOMERSET Copy of a Report made by a Commissioner of the Board of Control who visited the Wells IVIental Hospital on the 10th and 11th June, 1948. 11th June, 1948. Shortage of Staff continues to be the major problem at this Hospital. At the time of the last visit on behalf of my Board some 15 months ago there were 52 male nurses for 293 patients, and 39 women nurses for 605 patients. Now the figures are 46 male nurses for 294 patients and and v38 women nurses for 548 patients. ‘ The shortage of staff continues to be acute on the female side, but the transfer of 50 women patients to Hampshire last autumn may have relieved the position slightly. The greatest amelioration in this direction has been due to an increase of domestic staff, and to the relief which is given to the nurses by the successful working of the present method of food dis¬ tribution, which was fully described in the last entry. Ten European Voluntary Workers are expected to join the Domestic Staff at an early date. Among the number of women nurses quoted above are three who are on a part-time basis, and four men and six women do duty each night. Thirty-one male and 14 female nurses are certificated or registered in mental nursing. Since the last visit an additional Medical Officer has been appointed, with the result that it has been found possible to expand the facilities for special treatment offered by this Hospital. As has been mentioned in previous entries, there is need for the development of occupation generally. Dr. McGarvey is aware of this but is handicapped by lack of suitable buildings. Part of the Isolation Hospital is used for male handicrafts but only a limited number of patients are employed here. It was gratifying to learn, however, that on the female side an occupation centre has been set up under a qualified Occupation Officer who has recently been appointed. The former dining room at Villa 10 has become the handicrafts room, and here some 26 patients, who for the most part come from other wards, were engaged in work such as basketry, weaving, embroidery and book-binding. A smaller room is now used by the Villa patients as their dining room. A good many alterations and improvements have been carried out recently, among which may be mentioned the completion of the clubroom and canteen next to the cricket pavilion, where the non-resident staff may have meals, and the patients and their relatives may have tea during visiting hours. The clubroom is also used for staff social events each evening, and the Canteen, which is well stocked and contains a soda fountain, is open to patients daily. Other alterations include the provision of new flooring in the day-room of female villa 9, a new hair¬ dressing room in female villa 10, and the conversion of the medical officers' billiard room into a larger library for patients. The dental surgery has been moved to a more suitable room at the Hospital Centre, and part of this room is used at other times for out-patient consultations. Next to it there is a small waiting room. Much re-decoration and painting has been carried out both within and without the building,