Annual report : 1939 / Worcester Royal Infirmary.

  • Worcester Royal Infirmary. nb2014003272.
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1939 / Worcester Royal Infirmary. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    receiving treatment as In-patients was very low. Acting on the instructions of the Ministry of Health all patients fit to be moved were sent home or to other institutions on the 1st Septem¬ ber, 1939, and on the same day decants from Birmingham were admitted. From that date admissions were restricted to urgent cases only, and the emergency beds supplied by the Ministry of Health were erected and prepared for use. When these restrictions were relaxed by the Ministry, the Executive Committee took the opportunity of using to the full the available beds and the additional staff employed with the result that more patients were admitted during 1939 than in 1938, and the Waiting List was reduced as a result of the years working from 95 to 72. On the financial side the Ministry of Health made interim payments for the period 3rd September to 23rd December, based upon the number of beds available for casualties including service sick, evacuated children, etc. As will be seen in the accounts a sum of £4,470 Os. Od. was paid by the Ministry during this period. It must be emphasised that these payments have been interim payments made to cover the expenses incurred in the maintenance of decanted patients and others chargeable to the Ministry, and towards the cost of the necessary steps in improving the services in the Infirmary consequent upon the increase in its bed complement to 298. It has been the policy of the Executive Committee to improve the services of the Infirmary, and to this end they have during the last few months of the year given instructions for the carrying out of the following alterations :— 1. The renewal of the kitchen equipment in order that the kitchen could cope with the meals for the additional patients and staff. 2. The provision of a new dining room for Nurses. 3. The installation of a new Lift for theatre work. 4. The conversion of rooms and departments into Emer¬ gency Wards. 5. The improvement of the steam and domestic hot water supply by the introduction of a new boiler with a larger output for steaming purposes and alterations to the hot water system. In this latter respect the Executive Committee have continued their practice of having available alternative types of fuel, and accordingly have arranged for the new boiler to use solid fuel.