Report from the Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration).

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration)
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration). Source: Wellcome Collection.

    230/284 (page 204)
    15 June, 1926.] troubled, so that there is no incon- venience caused ?—That is really what it is. I put it quite plainly; it would be an infernal nuisance; but otherwise I do not care. 3357. Very often in this wicked world the good have to suffer for the offences of the others?—Very often, I am afraid. Sir Richard Luce. 3358. What is the class of ‘patients that you are accustomed to have?—lI never take anyone under a certain class. 3359. That is what I want to know about. You are very particular. You would never be persuaded into taking a case which you considered required more treatment than your staff was able to give?—Do you mean professionally or socially P 3060. IT mean professionally. You never take in a case beyond the sort of line which you have been describing to us?—I do not know; I would take in any kind of case. 3361. You never take in acute cases? —Not acute at the time, no; I[ do not take those. You mean a case of acute mania? I would not take alcoholics and things of that kind. Anything that requires a lot of attention I do not take in. I simply say: ‘‘ Look here, my gates are open. can walk out. I cannot keep anybody at the gates to keep you in.”’ 3362. I am not thinking so much of mental or borderline cases, but of ordinary cases that might require more nursing than you are at present able to provide; you would not take them ?—Un- less, of course, I provided a_ special aurse tor tnem and had a special room. Just now I have no requirements for what I call trained nurses. Perhaps to-morrow I might have a case which would require a trained nurse. 3363. Have you had any in the last two or three years?—Yes. 3364. In the last two or three years ‘you have had more acute cases than you have at the present time?—Oh, yes. I have no one in the house at present. 3365. Have you full accommodation for all the nursing requirements that might occur to such a patient?—Oh, yes. I have a large house; I could put up 17 or 18 beds, for instance. In fact I took it simply for the purpose. When I gave up practice, which I did some 12 years avo, I simply took this home and took in [ Continued. what I call private patients into my private house. 3366. What I want to understand is the possibility of your being suddenly landed with more serious cases than you are prepared for. You take great care that that does not occur?—If I could avoid it. 3367. You would not take in an acute case, for instance. Supposing a patient from a reasonable neighbourhood had an | attack of appendicitis, for instance; would you take in such a case as an emergency’—Well, no. If they landed them on my doorstep I could not refuse, of course, 3368. But you would not take them in in the ordinary way?—No. If I were offered a case of that sort I should say: ‘‘ No; take it to a hospital; I do not take in those cases ’’. 3369. Nor in the ordinary way would you take in a case which required acute nursing; take for instance a spinal case? —Not unless I had a special nurse. I do not say that I would not. If I were offered a reasonable fee for a _ good. patient, and so on, I should telephone to London and get a special nurse down, which I have accommodation for. _ 8370. You have full accommodation for all that?—Yes, plenty of room. 3371. Now on the matter of inspection, you said, I think, that you would have Medical Officer of Health. I do not know whether you live in the country or in a town?—TI live at Maidenhead; it is half and half. 3372. You would come under’ the Medical Officer of Health for the County in that case?—We have a special man for the Borough of Maidenhead. q 3373. That is one of the points I There have been various suggestions. Supposing Inspec- tors were appointed, who should be- responsible for .the inspection and for the registration? Would you prefer that the registering authority should be the County Council or some lesser authority than that?—I would rather have the authority which sent me the best man, vou know. I do not want any young fellows or nurses or anything of that kind coming into the house. I should like someone who had some authority like the Commissioners of Lunacy; they are men of known standing in the profession. 3374. You would take the County Medical Officer?—Oh yes.