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.

    259/284 (page 233)
    2 17 June, 1926. ] 233 [ Continued. Mr. Hurst. 3861. You say that you think that if we had registration it would be an insult to patients and an insult to yourself. That is putting it rather high. How would it be an insult to you if your home was a registered nursing home ?—I think that one ought to be able to manage one’s own home. I am not out to make money; I really am not. 3862. If being registered was a mark that you had reached a certain standard you would be rather proud to call your home a registered nursing home, would you not?—Yes, I do not mind registra- tion so much. 3863. It is inspection which you object to ?—It is inspection. Dr. Vernon Davies. 3864. Do you think there is a certain type of home which would be the better for inspection P—I suppose there must be. since J am told that these homes are used for purposes for which they should not be used, and so on; but I have not come across them, I am obliged: to say that; and so far as regards the homes I know I have never heard any thing against them, and I cannot think why patients go again and again if the homes are so bad. I cannot understand a surgeon, for instance, going into a house day by day and seeing patients neglected, and doing nothing or saying nothing. I cannot understand that: I should expect one of my doctors to tell me if he thought I was not properly looking after a patient, and would thank him for telling me. 3865. Do you think that some doctors might be afraid of offending, and, instead of making a complaint, next time they would send their cases to another home? —I should not think so. 3866. I think that does happen. A doctor might say: ‘‘ Well, I do not like to upset the matron or the proprietress; instead of having a row or any trouble I shall not send any more cases here ’’ p—I should be very much obliged to him if he would tell me. 3867. I dare say, because you would like to know what was wrong?—Yes, I 38868. Do you think you might bring yourself to see that the inspection and the registration of nursing homes would ultimately be for the good of bad homes? 3869. Would you be surprised to know that people in charge of very high-class homes are the most anxious to have this inspection and registration? Can yor understand that?—I suppose we look av it from different points of view. 3870. Exactly. The attitude they take is this: ‘‘ My home is such a good home that I do not fear inspection, and if 1 am inspected it is a certificate in favour of my home ’’ P—I would be very pleased if any of you would come and see my home. I do not mind that. 3871. That is not the point. So if that worked down throughout the whole class of homes what would happen in a short time would be that all the bad homes would be eliminated and just the good homes would remain. We do not expect every home to be of the same standard, naturally ?—Of course, I quite think that in homes where these very serious opera- tions are done you want every one of your nurses to be trained in the latest inethods of surgery. 3872. That is not the whole point. We have to think also of the patient, and even in chronic cases or the type of case that comes to your Home, one wants to feel that they are having the best value that they can for the money that they pay. Because there is a suspicion that in some places they may not be getting sufficient attention or sufficient food, or are not kept clean enough. You would not object to being inspected on those grounds, would youP—No, I would not. 3873. Therefore it is really only the bad Homes that would object?—yYes, I see. 3874. Does it alter your view at all, do you think, looking at it from that point of view: that it is to the advantage of the decent Homes to be inspected and it gives them a certificate to the public. Do you see that advantage?—Yes, I see that advantage. 3875. Do you think that would over- entered this room?—I do not think so. 3876. If you had to be inspected, by whom would you prefer to be inspected— by a doctor or a nurse or both?—I would prefer to be inspected by a doctor. 3877. Not a nurseP—No. 3878. Why ?—Because I think doctors would be more just than nurses. 3879. You would have more confidence in a doctor?—Yes, I should. 3880. Would you rather be inspected by a local doctor; supposing you are in