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The total number seen at the limb-fitting centre during 1945 was 210, compared
with 177 in 1944.
War work by
patients
During the war, patients at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, and St. David's
Hospital, Edmonton, carried out some useful and interesting work for firms engaged
on Government contracts. When this came to an end it was found possible to
secure other suitable work. The ex-Service patients at Sidcup undertook the
manufacture of 2,000,000 artificial poppies for Earl Haig's Fund; and the St.
David's patients did a certain amount of experimental work, which it is hoped will
be developed, on the manufacture of domestic woodwork for priority needs.
Legacies to
hospitals
During the past year, legacies have been received for the benefit of two
of the Council's hospitals, viz., Bethnal Green Hospital (£78), and St. George-in-theEast
Hospital (£50). These sums have been used for the benefit of the patients and
staff of the hospitals concerned.
Works
The Government's policy of concentrating building labour and materials on the
repair of war-damaged houses was continued in 1945; when hostilities ended, the
construction of new houses constituted another priority claim and added to the
obstacles in the way of the rebuilding or repair of hospital premises. There was no
possibility of starting an extensive programme of reconstructing buildings destroyed
or damaged by the enemy, of making up the arrears in the pre-war schemes of
improvement, or even of decorating and repairing the hospitals on pre-war standards.
Nevertheless, some progress was made and Ministry of Health authority was obtained
to a small list of works of special urgency. The main building, etc., activities
undertaken or sanctioned during the year were as follows :—
(1) Repair of war damage not involving, save in one or two instances,
major building work. The chief exceptions were the repair of the administrative
block at Grove Park Hospital, which was authorised at an estimated
cost of £4,780; the repair of C Ward Block at St. Mary Abbots Hospital
(estimated cost £1,410), and the adaptation of existing buildings at
Lewisham Hospital to provide extended accommodation for the outpatient
department and ante-natal clinic (estimated cost £1,331).
The restoration of the operating theatres at Hammersmith Hospital
(which, being on a top floor, had been replaced during the war by theatres
on the ground floor) was also sanctioned; the expenditure will be mainly
for renewal of equipment (sterilisers, etc.) which had been transferred to
upgraded E.M.S. hospitals where it was still in use.
(2) Removal of air-raid precaution works (protective brickwork to
windows, etc.).
(3) Completion of a new ward block at St. Nicholas' Hospital, which
was unfinished at the outbreak of war and work on which was then discontinued.
(4) Reconditioning of St. Anne's Home, Herne Bay (which was closed
in 1939) in preparation for re-opening.
(5) Adaptation works, in certain wards of eight hospitals, to be used
for treatment of the tuberculous.
Visits, etc.,
by students
and others
A noteworthy feature of the year was the number of medical officers, medical
students and others, not only from London and the provinces but also from overseas,
who asked to be allowed to visit the hospitals on specific occasions or to work
voluntarily in them for short periods to gain knowledge and experience of the unique
facilities available in the Council's service.
A considerable number of medical students, the majority from Scottish medical
schools, worked in several hospitals during vacations and were provided with free
board and lodging. Owing to shortage of staff, their services were greatly appreciated
and found to be of considerable value. Similar satisfactory arrangements were made