Annual report 1953 / Banstead Hospital, Sutton, Surrey.

  • Banstead Hospital. Hospital Management Committee.
Date:
[1954?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Annual report 1953 / Banstead Hospital, Sutton, Surrey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Hospitals. The patients are able to shop at the well-equipped hospital shop which is situated next to the patients’ tea room. The Central Library is organised by the Red Cross : it includes a large number of interesting books both fiction and non-fiction and a small reference section. Patients attend to change their books and to some wards trolleys of books are taken. There is a good women’s hairdressing department and a barber’s shop for the men. As has already been mentioned the buildings are old fashioned and hard to modernise. It is recognised that in some blocks lifts are needed when the money is available. The sanitary blocks are gradually to be brought up to date. At present a system of blending hot and cold water is being introduced to the wash rooms, many of which still provide cold water only. Redecoration of the Annexes will then follow and we hope in course of time the obsolete wash bowls will be replaced. In several wards the number of W.C.s are inadequate. In the past year all ward kitchens have been redecorated and thanks to grants made by the King Edward’s Hospital Fund refrigerators for all Infirmary wards have been acquired. Although the female general bathroom is still being used by a few wards, it is hoped shortly to arrange for all bathing to be done in the wards and this will enable the general bathroom to be put to other uses. The present plan is to convert it to use as a patients’ cafeteria. This would solve the difficulties of transporting meals from the kitchen to the wards situated on the upper floors of certain blocks. At the present time some wards are being redecorated and several have already been completed. The colours chosen are bright and pleasing and cheerful curtains give these wards a homely atmosphere. We welcome the increased number of armchairs, small tables with formica tops for dining purposes and the lockers in the better wards. Where so much furniture is old fashioned these improvements can only be very gradual. Progress has also been made in replacing obsolete bedsteads with modern ones and we have discussed with Dr. Charlton and Mr. Hunt the possibility of introducing interior spring mattresses. These could be made at moderate cost in the Mattress Shop. Patients are encouraged to wear their own clothing and where hospital clothing is provided it is marked with the name of the individual patient. Women patients are allowed to wash their own garments and i i one or two wards rooms are being arranged where waching and ironing can be done. The hospital suits and dresses are adequate but we hope that as new garments are purchased for male patients more imagination will be used to bring their clothing into line with what is generally worn outside. The Laundry is a very large department and we were glad to hear that as many as 66 patients find occupation there. It is full of machinery which is now showing the signs of old age and yesterday in the foul laundry the two foul washers were out of order ; the pressure on the calenders is insufficient and garments have to be put through twice. Sheets have to be rough dried. The colour of the linen when washed,
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