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been explained how 6 empty wards were set aside (as a temporary
measure) for the extension of certain departments. One
of these plans was completed during the year, namely, the
conversion of C.2 Ward into a nurses' dining room.
At this point it is convenient to refer to the plan for
developing the catering services of the Hospital. This problem
had for some time exercised the minds of the Committee, and
after a visit and subsequent report from an Inspector of the
Ministry of Health, it was eventually agreed that steps should
be taken to reorganise the whole of the Hospital's catering
services. The initial step was taken during the year when
Mr. P. L. Arcus was appointed Catering Organiser. Soon after
his arrival he produced a report which covered all the catering
services, and this was eventually approved by the Health
Committee. These recommendations could be divided into two
parts—(a) as they affected the staff, and (b) concerning buildings,
equipment, etc. The staff was augmented by the appointment
of a kitchen superintendent and a trained dietitian, in
addition to cooks and assistants. Plans for enlarging the
kitchen were drawn up, and the opening of the new nurses
dining room made it possible to provide a trolley-room, breadroom
and kitchen stores. In addition, the work of the kitchen
was reorganised on lines similar to those in use in the leading
commercial establishments. An increase in the number of nonresident
nurses proved that the dining-room in C.2 Ward was
not sufficient to accommodate all the nurses and, as a temporary
measure, Ward C.l, which was empty, was put into
use for " non-residents."
In the last report reference was made to certain specialists
to be appointed under a scheme approved by the Ministry of
Health. During the year 2 physicians, 2 surgeons, 1 E.N.T.
surgeon and 1 paediatrician joined the staff of the Hospital, the
2 latter specialists also carrying out duties in connection with
the health services in the County Borough of West Ham. As a
consequence, the British Post-Graduate Medical Federation
decided to recognise the Hospital as a suitable place for Class 1
appointments under the Government's rehabilitation scheme.
The holders of these posts are young doctors recently demobilised
from the Services and requiring further experience of hospital
work before entering into practice.
During the summer of 1947 the Hospital was requested by
the Ministry of Health to establish a special intensive course
of training for ex-Service nursing orderlies, whose applications
had been approved by the Minister. Under the scheme, those
applicants who were judged to be suitable for training were
allowed to complete in 1 year a course of training for which 3
years' experience is normally required. A total of 40 nurses
was sent to the Hospital, 27 men and 13 women. The men
were accommodated in lodgings in the neighbourhood; the
women found room in the Nurses' Home of Goodmayes Mental
Hospital, the Ministry providing a bus to take them backwards
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