Nursing Staff Shortage - T.B. Ward has to be Closed
One of the oldest wards at Rushden House Sanatorium, where T.B. patients from all over the county go for treatment, has had to be closed because of the shortage of nursing staff.

The ward, opened in 1922, has seven beds.

“We have been struggling here for years,” said Dr. G. B. Lord, Medical Superintendent of the Sanatorium, when he told us of the position. “It has happened before. It happened nine months ago, and we were in a poor state then.”

Dr. Lord explained that at the present moment there were some nurses on holiday – “nurses want a holiday like everyone else” – but also suggested that in view of recent political developments it might not be so easy to get staff from Ireland as it had been in the past. He would not, however, like to make a forecast about the future.

Local Help
“What I am particularly anxious to do is to get staff locally,” said the doctor. “I feel that county patients should be looked after by county people. Recently we have not had a sufficient influx of nurses from the county.”

Dr Lord emphasised that some local women had already rendered valuable service as nurses – some for as long as 20 years – and that their work was appreciated.

“I have an ex-patient nurse who is to start work next week,” said Dr Lord. “Her disease has been arrested and she will now help other patients to recover. It has pleased me very well; it is very gratifying and encouraging. Now I am looking round for other ex-patients. I would prefer them to be able to live at home.”

Television for T.B. Patients - Set for staff will follow at “San”
A “Friends of Rushden House Sanatorium” fund formed 15 months ago to provide for patients extra comforts not procurable under the National Health Service, presented its major gift to date on Thursday afternoon – a television set. In addition it is hoped to shortly present a further set for the use of the staff.

Contributions from individuals and organisations have supported the efforts which have been held throughout the county during the past year. Whist drives, beetle drives and concerts have been a regular source of income for the fund, while such private efforts as collections of threepenny pieces have been a feature.

Mrs. E. Hensman, of Rushden, the well-known After-Care worker, has been the chairman of the fund which to date has a balance of £165 following yet another whist drive in the town on Wednesday evening. This sum it is hoped, will be sufficiently implemented in the near future to cover the cost of the two television sets.

Ceremony
The set for the patients, installed in the entertainments room at the Sanatorium, was officially handed over at a ceremony there yesterday afternoon at which Dr. G. B Lord voiced the thanks of the patients.

Dr. Lord expects that between 40 and 50 of the 80 patients at the Sanatorium will be able to become televiewers. As yet, however, he has no plans for television becoming a regular feature of the Sanatorium routine, and feels that as it is a luxury commodity, combined with the fact that the patients’ bedtime is 8.30 p.m. evening attendance will have to be limited to special shows of general appeal.

The afternoon shows, catering as they do for women’s interests and sports enthusiasts, should be popular, and there is no doubt that both patients and staff are looking forward to this latest amenity with much relish.

Patients working on their models

Music Boxes Made From Matchsticks
Smokers are popular at Rushden House Sanatorium nowadays – but not if they use lighters.

There is an everlasting demand for used matches. For the match-stick modelling hobby has caught on among patients, who use their spare time to produce picturesque model chalets and churches, which they make into music-boxes.

Beds and lockers are littered with scraps of cardboard, tubes and glue, and heaps of matches. Where they all come from is a mystery. The last six weeks or so have seen the completion or near completion of five or six models, each of which takes some three or four thousand sticks.

Every match has to be glued individually to a background of cardboard, and there are weeks of patient work in each model. Most of them are villas and are constructed to the maker’s own design.

“We’re applying to Corby Town Council for a job on the strength of them,” one patient told a reporter the other day.

A music-box mechanism completes the job – and by that time the modeller usually has another order to start on.

So the call for matches goes on.

Watched by Dr G B Lord, the medical officer, the matron of Rushden House Sanatorium, Miss M Dickens, cuts the cake at a party given on Saturday for the patients, nurses and staff.

Unlucky 14 had a special tea
Fourteen patients remained in their beds in the wards of Rushden House Sanatorium while seventy others were having a gay time with the nurses and staff at a party.

The principal guests were the chairman of Rushden Urban Council, Mrs. W. M. Lean, who was accompanied by Dr. O. B. Lean, and the Mayor and Mayoress of Higham Ferrers, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Tilley.

Others attending included Mr. A. C. A. Colton (chairman of both Rushden and Higham Ferrers Tuberculosis After-Care Committees, which organised the party), Mrs. Colton, Ald. and Mrs. H. R. Patenall, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Crapper, Dr. G. B. Lord, Dr. and Mrs. E. O. Fisher, Dr. and Mrs. K. Gerrard, Miss G. Millgate, Miss Lane and Miss M. Dickens.

A concert was given by the Charles Thacker Band, the Select Trio, Jean Spencer, Ted Bunning, Reg Cox, Pauline Griggs, Ron and Fred Cook, Joe Keller, and Mr. Soutar and partner. The M.C. was Mr. Charlie Jones.

THE doctor who helped set up Crane ward nearly 30 years ago has backed the Evening Telegraph campaign to reopen it. Dr Elliott Fisher was instrumental in getting the ward at Rushden Hospital up and running in the 1960s.

Dr Fisher

She suffered a stroke in 1988 and for more than three years, Crane ward gave Dr Fisher much needed breaks from caring for his wife.

He said: "It was a tragedy when the ward closed two years ago and I applaud the ET for trying to reopen it.

"My wife died in January last year, but for three years the ward offered me a break and she enjoyed going there too.

"The beds were greatly appreciated by people in the Rushden area and I would dearly like it to be reopened.

"My fear is the staff have now moved on and dispersed into other areas."

Dr Fisher was chest specialist in the Kettering health area and recommended Crane ward to GPs who needed to provide care for their patients.

He said: "There must be lots of people now in the position I was in while my wife was ill. The burden now on community nurses is dreadful."