Commemorative poster book celebrating 250 years of Norfolk & Norwich Hospital by NNUHinformation

in aid Celebratingof Registered charity no: 1048170 Commemorative book celebrating 250 years of Norfolk & Norwich Hospital Past, Present & Future

August 1883 - New hospital opened by Duke and Duchess of Connaught, accompanied by Prince Albert Victor - X-ray department opened 1907 - First pathology department opens October 1914 - N&N becomes a military base hospital - A centre for the College of Nursing opens in Norwich

1823

1998

2011

2014

2016

2017

Timeline - key dates

2001

2018

1935

November 1925 - Maternity ward opens with seven beds

1935

2020

2004

Benjamin Gooch William Fellowes

1877

every

March 1771 - Foundation Stone laid by William Fellowes and Benjamin Gooch appointed first Consulting Surgeon 11 July 1772 - The first three outpatients attend 7 November 1772 - Seven inpatients admitted - Norfolk and Norwich Eye Infirmary opened for treatment of the 1848poor-Building committee appointed to build two additional wards - Agreement to build new hospital June 1879 - HRH Prince of Wales lays the Foundation Stone of the new hospital July 1881 - First patients received on new wards

1904

1919

January 1925 - Foundation Stone of new children’s block laid by HRH Prince Henry 1930 - Norfolk and Norwich old Nurses League founded - Preliminary nurse training school starts training cohorts of 12 three months - Orthopaedic department founded by Mr HA Brittain with Mr McKee as Registrar - New maternity block funded by parents of Captain Geoffrey Colman 1978 - The Sir Thomas Browne Library named - Prime Minister Tony Blair announces that the new hospital will go ahead - New hospital at Colney Lane becomes operational - Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the new hospital - Opening of the Midwifery-Led Birthing Unit - The Bob Champion Research and Education Building opens - A £1m robot is used to carry out prostate cancer surgery - The UK’s first Older People’s Emergency Department opens - The Quadram Institute opens with the largest endoscopy centre in Europe - New Norfolk Centre for Interventional Radiology opens

1933

1706 1732172317331731

Norfolk was in need of a hospital with most doctors working in London and journeys to the capital were arduous. William Fellowes brought together a committee of wealthy and influential Norfolk people and opened a subscription fund. The hospital site was purchased with the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital becoming the 17th voluntary hospital founded in England. The foundation stone was laid by William Fellowes in 1771, with the hospital seeing its first patients in 1772. 1770177017711775

William Fellowes - 1706 - 1775 Laid foundation stone of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

Called a meeting in St Andrews Hall Norwich to discuss the establishment of a subscription fund for the creation of a county hospital. Born to William and Mary Fellowes. Died aged 69 on 30 January. Admitted to Lincolns Inn following education at Winchester and New College, Oxford. Founded a cottage hospital (one of the first in the country) for apothecary surgeon Benjamin Gooch, known as “Shotesham Infirmary”. Married Elizabeth Mewes. Purchased Shotesham Park Estate in BecomesNorfolk.Treasurer of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and one of the “Trustees of the Land” and remains so until his death.

His subsequent training included registrar posts in Sheffield and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He obtained the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal Colleges) in 1934.

Ken McKee was born on 5 January 1906. He was the son of Frank Charles McKee, a general practitioner who had migrated from Northern Ireland at the turn of the century. Ken was educated at Chigwell School before winning a scholarship to the Medical School at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

McKee was rewarded for his outstanding ability by receiving the CBE and later an honorary Doctorate of Science at Cambridge University, and an honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society of Medicine.

McKee died on 18 July 1991.

2004

After qualifying he held house surgeon appointments at Bart’s and also at the disability support centre Chailey Heritage, before choosing a career in orthopaedic surgery.

His design of a strong steel nail-plate was later used universally for internal fixation of pertrochanteric fractures of the femur (one of the most common hip fractures in older people). He also developed an external fixator for unstable fractures of the tibia and a lag screw for securing an arthrodesis of the hip joint (fusion of bones in a joint). It was soon evident to him that a mobile hip joint was a better alternative than total fixation for patients suffering from arthritis of that joint. He became a pioneer in arthroplasty of the hip using a metal prosthesis and was joined by Watson-Farrar in the development of a metal ball replacement of the femoral head which articulated with a similar metal cup in the acetabulum; the entire prosthesis was embedded in acrylic cement to give a firm bond between the two components and the bone.

“McKee started experimenting with model hip joints in 1938, working with dentists and an engineering firm in the city centre to create the original brass mock-ups. He even went off to war with one of them in his pocket! He carried out his first primary hip replacement on a patient in 1951 – before Sir John Charnley perfected his own version.” N&NOrthopaedicSurgeonHugh Phillips. McKee joined H A Brittain on the staff as a consultant at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. His early interest in taking motor cycles and cars to pieces prepared him for an outstandingly inventive career. He served as a surgeon in the Royal Air Force and during his post in the Middle East he developed a deep religious faith on a visit to Bethlehem, which he described as ‘the most important event of my life’.

The N&N consultant who helped pioneer hip replacement

A bronze bust of Ken McKee was presented to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on Saturday 26 June by Mr Hugh Phillips, the in-coming President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and Mr Keith Tucker, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at NNUH. The bust was made by McKee’s daughter-in-law, the Belgian sculptor Myriam McKee, shortly before the surgeon’s death in 1991. It was bought by Mr Phillips, who followed in Mr McKee’s footsteps and joined the orthopaedic team at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in 1973. “I felt it was important to honour Mr McKee as he made such a significant contribution to the health of so many people in East Anglia over so many years,” said Mr Phillips.

1906 1920s 1934 1938 1939 1940s 1950s 1970s 1991

After qualifying he held house surgeon appointments at Bart’s and also at the disability support centre Chailey Heritage, before choosing a career in orthopaedic surgery. 1932 He married Sylvia Bird in 1932 and they had a son, Michael, and a daughter, Theo. He married again in 1954 and had two daughters, Georgina and Belinda. His subsequent training included registrar posts in Sheffield and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He obtained the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal Colleges) in 1934.

The N&N consultant who helped pioneer hip replacement joints in the 1950s A bronze bust of Kenneth McKee is on display at the N&N Hospital and this is the story behind the artwork about the Norwich surgeon who pioneered primary hip replacement surgery in Norwich in the 1950s.

He attended Henwick Primary School and the Roan Grammar School in Greenwich, where he became a prefect. He was a Queen’s Scout.

Married Trish (Patricia Ann Cates Kennard), a physiotherapist at Bart’s who later became chair of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. They had three daughters, Jane, Katie and Susie, and at the time of his death they had six grandchildren.

Appointed as the fifth orthopaedic consultant at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, where he is remembered as a hard worker, a loyal colleague and an outstanding surgeon. A man of great personal charm with a disarming sense of humour, Hugh was held in the highest regard by his patients, colleagues and trainees.

While proud of his Welsh roots he considered himself a Londoner and commented once that he had “only been to Wales twice and it rained both times”.

Was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. Was influential in the establishment of the National Joint Registry. Became the first surgeon from Norfolk to become president of the Royal College of Surgeons, died within his first year of office.

Mr Hugh Philips (1940 - 2005) Orthopaedic Surgeon

1988 2005 1990

1964 1966 1970 1975 1985 2004 1996 2000s

1940 1950s

Elected to the council of the British Orthopaedic Association

Completed a physically demanding College visit to every hospital in Wales by road within one week, the warmth of his personality making a great impression in hospitals where the College had been seen as remote and unapproachable. A few days after his return he suffered a pulmonary embolus and, despite intensive treatment, including thrombolysis, he did not recover and died at home in Norfolk on 24 June 2005, less than one year after the condition came to light.

Hugh Phillips was born on 19 March 1940 in Blackheath, the youngest of three children in a Welsh-speaking family. His father, Morgan Phillips, was a miner during the depression of the 1930s, resolved not to produce another generation of miners and walked to London where he became a manager at UGB Charlton, a thermoplastics company in south east London that made Bakelite. Hugh’s mother, Elizabeth Evans, also came from north Wales and contributed to Hugh’s rather strict upbringing and his father’s work was important to the war effort so Hugh remained with his parents whilst his siblings returned to Wales. His earliest memories were of bombs and air raid shelters.

Qualified in medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. Hugh followed his eldest brother into medicine, winning a state scholarship to St Barts. After qualifying, Hugh became a house surgeon at St Barts, and then a house physician and subsequently a senior house officer in emergency medicine at Luton and Dunstable Hospital. It was at Luton and Dunstable that he met Alan Lettin (later a vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons), who inspired him to set his sights on a career in orthopaedics.

Was made Trainer of the Year in 1990 by the British Orthopaedic Trainees Association, as the training of orthopaedic surgeons was a national priority. Many surgeons, both nationally and abroad, went to Norwich to learn and practise under him. He lectured widely to other specialists and to patient groups, both in Britain and throughout the world.

Hugh’s principal clinical interest was surgery of the hip and was said to have carried out over 6,000 joint replacements in his career.

Became regional adviser in orthopaedic surgery to the Royal College of Surgeons and also formed the British Hip Society with Mike Freeman and Robin Ling.

Became fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and was appointed to the Barts higher surgical training programme in orthopaedics at Bart’s. In the same year was found to have Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which in those days had few survivors. After a harrowing period of intensive chemotherapy under the care of Gordon Hamilton Fairley, a pioneer of chemotherapy, Hugh Phillips became one of those few. The treatment, always at weekends so that he could be back at work on Monday, lasted two and a half years, when Hugh decided it should be terminated because nobody could tell him how long it should be continued. He never sought special consideration because of his illness and took a full share of workloads that would now be considered unacceptably heavy even for healthy people.

Eastern Daily Press 3rd September 1909

“This lovely city is the capital of a county which my family have held in the deepest affection for many years.” said the Princess. “My father was a true Norfolk man and I can think of no one who had a greater love for his county”.

“The opening of a new orthopaedic theatre unit at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital is a memorable occasion in it’s long history”, continued Princess Margaret. “It is all the more distinguished for the presence of representatives of the orthopaedic associations of the Empire and America. In London last week my mother welcomed them to this country. I should like to extend my own greetings and bid them welcome as much to the counties as to the capital of our land. I am all the more happy to meet them at this hospital, for my great grandfather, King Edward VII, laid the foundation stone of the new building over 70 years ago and my family has taken the greatest interest in it ever since”’.

The Princess said she knew that Norwich had suffered much destruction from air attacks during the war and the loss of life and property was almost grievous “and I know this hospital was badly damaged I am so happy to have seen today how thorough the work of restoration throuought the city has been and how gathered about its beautiful Cathedral Norwich continues to pursue its life with undiminished vigour.”

Royal visits to our hospital down the years ...part 1

‘The Kings Norwich Visit - The Hospital Extension the Scope of the Scheme

The Colman Maternity Wing was replaced by the New Maternity Block on the N&N site at St Stephen’s which was opened by the Queen Mother in 1968 on a return visit.

Prior to his visit on 25th October 1909 to lay foundation stone of King Edward block at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

HRH the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)

HRH Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester

Opened the Colman Maternity Wing at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on October 29th 1938

Visited the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on June 17th 1879

News item from the Eastern Daily Press 27th June 1879

During the years of the first world war plans were made for a children’s ward at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. On 2nd February 1925 the foundation stone for this ward was laid by His Royal Highness Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester. ‘The name of Prince Henry comes to be associated with the first of the several enterprises contemplated by the Special Appeal Fund. The Board of Management are still considerably short of the £60, 000 they are asking for and yet by the munificence of devoted friends of the Hospital they find themselves able to proceed at once with the building of a children’s block, which will serve to restore to adult use a ward that the children now occupy. To lay the foundation stone of this urgently needed extension was the main puporse of his Royal Highness coming to Norwich’.

Princess’s Speech Princess Margaret had a warm ovation as she rose to perform the opening ceremony. She said she had been touched by the wonderful welcome she was given as she drove through the streets and by the warmth and kindness with which she had been received at the Hospital.

Eastern Daily Press 8th July 1952

HRH Princess Margaret Opened the Orthopaedic Theatres at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 8th July 1952

‘In the course of the visit of their Majesties to Norwich tomorrow the Queen will honour the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital by opening the maternity wing which has been built as a memorial to their elder son, Captain Geoffrey Colman by Mr and Mrs AsColman.aGovernor, and later on as Chairman of the Board of Governors, Captain Colman worked unceasingly for the interest of the Hospital, one of his chief anxieties being connected with the possible provision of such accommodation as would, in cases of need, give the mothers the benefit of the most modern advances in medical science. This provision did not prove possible during his lifetime, but will now be made when, after the presentation of a key to her Majesty by Captain Colman’s eldest son, David, the Queen opens the door of the memorial and so inaugurates this greatly needed extension of the Hospital maternity Norwichservices. is proud of the continuous interest so graciously shown in the welfare of its Hospital by members of the Royal family. It is more than 50 years since King Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, laid the foundation stone of the re-built hospital - the first big stride towards the modern institution of today. Later, as sovereign, he performed a similar ceremony in connection with the wards bearing his name and in more recent years both Queen Mary and the Duke of Gloucester have shown their sympathy with the work by official visits to mark important extensions’. Eastern Daily Press 29th October 1938

HRH King Edward VII Son of Queen Victoria and was crowned on 9th August, 1902 at Westminster Abbey

HRH Queen Elizabeth (Wife of King George VI; and later known as the Queen Mother)

Eastern Daily Press 2nd February 1925

Visited the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 2nd February 1925

On his visit he laid the foundation stone of the new Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (mark 2) ‘About half past three His Majesty visited the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, and in the presence of a large company laid the foundation stone of the new block for septic and infectious cases. After a reference to the usefulness of the hospital His Majesty commented “ The encouragement which you give to your nurses to join the nursing services of the Territorial forces meets with my most cordial approval. In matters of life and death the services of a trained nurse are no less essential than those of the physician of surgeon, I pray that the blessing of God may attend your labours”.

As we were able to announce yesterday morning, the King has signified his intention to lay the foundation stone of the first of the series of new buildings now in contemplation at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital His Majesty will be received at the Hospital by those who will be debuted to represent the institution, and, all under cover, will then be asked to lay the foundation stone of the building which is to form the new isolation block and the new septic block. His Majesty has himself subscribed 250 guineas towards the £50,000 which will be required and the total subscription list stands today at £12,620, so that , in round figures, something like £37,000 are still needed to complete the extension’.

Princess Margaret had a wonderful welcome from big crowds in the early afternoon when she slowly drove over a five mile route on her way from the Assembly House to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Thousands of people lined the roads and cheered, none more so than the many children who had left schools in charge of their teachers.

‘The Duke made his tour of the ward with many cheerful exchanges with patients. Two of those with whom he spoke were there because of emergency appendix operations. One Mr Stanley Warnes produced a camera complete with flash apparatus and the Duke stood smiling for him to take a picture. Commented Mr Warnes “That almost makes it worthwhile being here”.

Eastern Daily Press 28th June 1968

Visited the Gastroenterology Department at the West Norwich Hospital in 1987

The Norfolk MND Care and Research Network was established in June 2017, supported by the MND Association. The Network was officially opened in January by HRH Princess Anne who is a Royal Patron of the MND Association.

Anne

The Duchess of Kent attended the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital’s Bicentenary and opened the Diagnostic Treatment Centre at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 22nd September 1971.

HRH the Duchess of Kent Diana Princess of Wales

HRH

HRH the

Opened the Maternity Unit of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on Thursday June 27th 1968

HRH Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Eastern Daily Press 4th July 1957

The Queen Mother remarked on the drastic change in the concept of maternity wards in the past ten years. She mentioned that the idea of first and second staff wards had vanished completely at the Norfolk and Norwich and that today each patient had her own room with an adjoining theatre where she could be transferred if necessary.

The Duchess of Kent also visited the Colman Hospital and opened the Day Unit at the Pricilla Bacon Lodge.

HRH

HRH the Duchess of Kent

The Queen opened the new operating suite at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital which was erected in memory of Mr Frank Inch OBE House Governor from 1916 to 1947, on the site of the former theatre destroyed in air raids in 1942.

HRH Princess Margaret Opened the Computerised Tomography Scanner and Wymondham Ward at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 23rd May 1986.

Opened the Bertrum Diabetes Centre at the West Norwich Hospital on 5th January 1994 When Prince Charles was introduced to the members of staff at the centre he met Elsie Bertrum M.B.E, the main funder of the centre, on greeting Elsie Bertrum he handed to her a basket of purple sprouts. Two years previously Elsie Bertrum had dined with the Prince at Highgrove where she had commented on the unusual purple sprouts.

the

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip opened the Frank Inch Theatres on 4th July 1957 at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

Performed the official opening of the new Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital at the Colney Lane site on Thursday 5 February 2004

Royal visits to our hospital down the years ...part 2

The 989-bed hospital first opened to patients in November 2001 and replaced the former Norfolk and Norwich and West Norwich hospitals. The moves from the two old hospitals to NNUH were completed in January 2003. The Edith Cavell building, which contains the School of Nursing, was opened by the HRH Duke of Gloucester in 2008 He returned again to open a new radiotherapy cancer treatment building, the Winterton Unit, which was officially opened on the 20th May 2014.

HRH Queen Duke of Gloucester Princess

HRH Prince Charles Prince of Wales

HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh

‘Not even overcast skies and light rain could dampen Norwich’s gaiety yesterday. It was the Royal visit - and was matched by a royal welcome in which thousands of city school children waved and shouted their delight at every sight of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. After a civic welcome at the City Hall, the Queen and the Duke went to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital for the official opening of the Frank Inch memorial operating unit and spent the rest of the day at the Royal EasternShow’.Daily Press 5th July 1957

the

Mr Patrick Boyle of Glasgow got a special word of commiseration from the Duke who learned that Mr Boyle had spent only two days of his planned Broads holiday in Norfolk when his appendix needed removal. Mr Fred Thirtle from Skeyton, was sitting in a chair “Are they going to let you out? inquired the Duke, “I certainly hope so”. A smiling young staff nurse, Miss Marguerite Elers , was asked by the Duke, who waved his arm towards the men patients, “Do they give you any trouble - any cheek?”. His final comment as he left the ward was “they all look very well”.

the

Princess Diana visited the Jenny Lind Children’s Department at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 11th May 1986 ‘The Princess arrived at the hospital relaxed and radiant even though she had little sleep for her son William had been in hospital. Lining her route to the hospital were up to three thousand well wishers. Hospital workers and children from the nearby Bignold First School packed the forecourt of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital while other staff and patients clustered in the windows to see a glimpse of their Princess. From then on it was the “behind the scenes” peoples day as the Princes made a whistle stop tour of dozens of different departments and charmed every one with her down to earth comments and ready smile’. Princess Diana was given a two hour tour of the Norfolk and Norwich Hosptial which began at 1.30pm. Diana visited many departments at the hospital and even had a cup of coffee in the canteen’. Eastern Daily Press, 11 May 1986

Opened the MND Network

Alice Townsley – Honorary Assistant to Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Key women in N&N History

Sarah West - Matron Sarah West appointed first Matron to the hospital in 1772 was paid a salary of £15 a year and the hospitals rules of 1782 laid down that “the nurses clean their respective wards by seven in the morning from the first of March to the first of October, and by eight from the first of October to the first of March and that they serve up breakfast within an hour after the wards are cleaned”. Elizabeth Hampton - Matron Born 1821 Liverpool. Went on to be Matron at West Norfolk & Lynn Hospital (listed on census in Mary1861).Ann

CR Waley - Almoner As the first hospital Almoner-her role was to see outpatients and to establish if they were suitable for treatment. Later she was asked to interview inpatients and to collect contributions (from those who could afford it) towards their treatment. The Almoner also arranged aftercare for patients leaving the hospital. Dr. Mary Thackwell – Honorary Radium Officer Appointed as an “honorary assistant to the visiting medical staff” when the N&N was made the regional radium centre for East Anglia. First women doctor mentioned in records.

1857-19441792--196318581858-1867190419071932

Partridge - Matron Born 1818 Trowse Newton. Went on to be a LodgingHouseKeeper on Prince of Wales Road, Norwich (listed on 1871 census). Women allowed to join the Board of Governors from October 1904. Initially this was refused but was challenged and a special meeting was called for a further vote.

First female consultant. Born 1907 as Alice Dickie. Qualified in Glasgow in 1932, one of only two women to graduate that year. Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists. Married Norman Townsley (Consultant General Surgeon at N&N) in 1940. President of the Norfolk Medico-Chirurgical Society 1971-72. Died 30th November 1998. 1772

Exerts from ‘The History of Nursing at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital just before and following the introduction of the NHS’ by Carol Edwards, NNUH Public Governor for North Norfolk and retired Deputy Director of Nursing at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Carol has been a nurse for 40 years, with 15 years spent working at the N&N and Cromer Hospitals.

Jenny Beer recalls being appointed to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in 1968, and describes “a very busy hospital, with lovely feeling of comradeship, friendship and because the hospital was so much smaller in those days, everybody seemed to know everyone else.’

‘The universal shortage of nurses, both trained and untrained is the most serious problem with which Hospital Management are faced today’. Annual report 1946, Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Patients were in hospital much longer in the 1950’s than they are today. Nurses were encouraged to chat with the patients, although gossip was discouraged! Instructions about care were often given by reference to the bed number and the condition of the patient rather than by use of the patient’s name.

His subsequent training included registrar posts in Sheffield and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He obtained the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal Colleges) in 1934. 1960s 1967

If a Student Nurse wished to be away from the hospital in the late evening, after 10pm, a Late Pass was required. If a student stayed out late without a pass it was necessary to “run the gauntlet” and try to get back into the Nurses Home without attracting the attention of the Night Sister. In the 1950’s there was a strong element of routine in the care on a Ward. Bedpan rounds were conducted every three hours and pressure area care, on a Ward with 36 beds, was almost constant. A patient who developed a pressure sore during their time in hospital was considered to have received a poor standard of care and Ward Sister was required to account for this manifestation of inadequate care.

The surgical wards were still in the Nightingale style with 36 beds, of which 12 beds were on the veranda. There were no electric bells and patients on the veranda had a hand bell on their bedside locker to call a Nurse. The Nursing Staff on the two wards would help each other out, especially with supplies or when one ward was short of staff.

1946

The N&N consultant who helped pioneer hip replacement

The first syringe pump was introduced to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital during the 1960’s, it was clockwork with a key to wind it up and only Registered Nurses were allowed to operate the pump.

After qualifying he held house surgeon appointments at Bart’s and also at the disability support centre Chailey Heritage, before choosing a career in orthopaedic surgery.

At the time of the 1967 ‘Salmon Report’ there was a change in the design of nurse’s uniforms. By 1970 the starched aprons and caps were disappearing, with disposable paper nurses’ hats, which could be changed and made up regularly with the minimum of effort. The dresses were an ‘A’ line design and shorter, although the Nursing Officers were quick to spot a dress, which was considered too short.

In 1938 the total nursing staff at the N&N and Jenny Lind had been 216, by 1946 this had fallen to 185 Nurses.

1968

1950s

Nursing at the Norfolk and Norwich 1946-2000

In 1968 staff were aware that technology was moving towards the introduction of five-day wards and the employment of more parttime staff. Night Sister Pat Tungate was invited to Matrons Office to be asked if she would set up a five-day ward, employing all part time staff. The ward would function Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm and cater for all types of patients whose needs would include investigations and minor surgery in areas such as Ear, Nose and Throat, Eyes and Orthopaedics. Miss Cooper and the Consultants sited the new adventure on Ward 5 and it quickly became a success.

1974 1990s

In a surgical ward in the early 1970s consisted of many theatre lists and an emergency surgery intake from 8am in the morning on alternate days. One nurse told me, ‘surgical emergencies arriving amid everything else, kept the adrenaline flowing and nurses found the work rewarding and exciting, patients needing immediate help, so it was “all hands on deck.”

Nursing is now evidence and research based, nurses and doctors work as teams with respect for each other’s professions. Nursing is progressing into the multidisciplinary age where Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dieticians, Social Workers and Doctors are all involved in developing joint care plans for the patients.

1975 2000

His subsequent training included registrar posts in Sheffield and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He obtained the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal Colleges) in 1934.

Nursing at the Norfolk and Norwich 1946-2000

The N&N consultant who helped pioneer hip replacement

Nursing care in the seventies benefited from the introduction of a Central Sterilising Supplies Department, CSSD. Nurses did not have to sterilise equipment or pack drums with supplies; they arrived on the ward pre-packed in sterile packaging from CSSD.

Jill Wakely remembers being a new Staff Nurse on Colman Ward in 1982. ‘As a newly qualified SRN, I was soon in charge of the ward although often with a very experienced SEN. I learnt quickly, I had to, but I remember always being worried about the ever-real possibility of a sick child arriving, Status Epilepticus and Epiglottitis being the things that worried me most. That said, the dependency was much lower then, I often had time to play with a child or read a bedtime story.

1970s 1982 1980s

The 1980’s in Norwich also brought about the first Specialist Nurse Post. Lynette Yaxley was originally appointed with Community Health Unit Funding and based at the Norfolk and Norwich, as the first Diabetes Liaison Health Visitor. Lynette reflects on the post ‘having set up and managed the diabetes nursing service for the Norwich Health Authority, working with both children and adults with diabetes since 1981, the opportunity to apply for the post of Children’s Diabetes Specialist Nurse working solely with children arose in 1994. As the hospital became a NHS Trust and management structures developed, many Senior Nurses found themselves in management positions. The nursing budget was devolved down to Ward Sisters who were expected to manage the ward budgets, develop their staff and be accountable for the ordering of stores and supplies. Mrs Mary Dolding explains the Service Manager and Senior Nurse role ‘I had a major role in developing services, planning what’s needed to meet the needs of that sort of client route, the important things for me were staff development and support.’

Nursing Care in 1975 was enhanced by a new block of wards, catering for over 500 patients, which had the latest technology and facilities for nursing care. The new Ward Block would also cater for Paediatrics and replace the facilities at the Jenny Lind Hospital.

After qualifying he held house surgeon appointments at Bart’s and also at the disability support centre Chailey Heritage, before choosing a career in orthopaedic surgery.

As a result of the Halsbury Committee on pay and conditions of Nurses and Professions Supplementary to Medicine in 1974, nurse’s pay increased by thirty percent, and nurses were awarded time off for working during Bank Holidays. This all came around the time of Christmas 1974.

Minutes from the Governors Meeting

His subsequent training included registrar posts in Sheffield and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He obtained the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal Colleges) in 1934.

Newspaper coverage

Wartime history of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

1942 October - King George VI Reigned 1936 - 1952, father of our current monarch Queen Elizabeth II King George VI gave an informal surprise visit to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 13th October 1942 to inspect the bomb damage to the hospital. The hospital received two Royal visits from members of the Royal family

World War 1 World War 2 - September 1939 - April 1945

‘On the 5th August 1914, the day after the outbreak of the Great War, the hospital wired the admiralty “Can give you 100 beds and erect marquees for 150 more”. In October 1914 the convoys of sick and wounded arrived at the hospital and continued at the rate of 100 men every ten days for a period; 7880 service men were admitted to the hospital during the war’.

‘The Duke of Kent in Norwich - Visits to damaged homes - Hospital and institution for the blind. Many bombed-out people of Norwich had a surprise yesterday when the Duke of Kent visited homes in several of the most seriously damaged streets of the city. The Duke came across members of them searching among the wreckage and engaged them in informal conversations about their experiences. His Royal Highness made an extensive tour of the city in the course of which he visited the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital’.

Criticism of the fact that a number of beds in the Hospital are being kept vacant so as to be ready for an emergency was answered by the Lord Mayor (Mr David Henderson) when he presided at the annual meeting of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on Saturday. The Lord Mayor who was replying to a vote of thanks said there had been a certain amount of criticism of keeping hospital beds standing idle - reserved for air raid casualties. “I hope they will continue to be empty” he said “but we have to make our plans, and carry out work on the assumption that they will be wanted, so that they will be instantly ready when they are required”, “We have had only this last week an example of suddenness with which war is carried on by the enemy the suddenness and ruthlessness with which it can come on an unprepared community” added the Lord Mayor. Readiness for these happenings is imperative. Any criticism of the idleness of the beds is very short-sighted indeed’.

During the Second World War the hospital became part of the Emergency Medical Service and in this capacity dealt with many service patients and local civilian casualties of the war, of which 401 required admission to the hospital. In addition it continued its normal functions with a staff depleted by those absent on war service. During two air raids on Norwich in April, 1942, the hospital suffered damage but it was more severely damaged in a raid on the night of 26 to 27 June, 1942. One hundred and twenty beds were put out of commission, eighty nurses and maids were rendered homeless and the main operating theatres were destroyed.

1942 May - Duke of Kent

Eastern Daily Press, 27th May 1942

Excerpt from the minutes of the 1915 Board of Governors Meeting Records Office, Norwich

The amount received from the war office for this work has been £9400 upon what basis that the War Office arrived at its estimate of the amount received for the maintenance and treatment of a wounded solider we do not know, but it is certainly an insufficient basis..... It is therefore necessary that the war office payment should be supplemented. It ought of course to be increased up to a proper standard, but that not being so, it has been necessary to call for subscriptions to provide the additional amount. And right nobly the local public responded to this call. Their contributions have amounted to more than the War Office payment; and the total of £10,500 locally subscribed is an amount of which Norfolk and Norwich have every reason to be proud.

Eastern Daily Press, 16th April 1940

The N&N consultant who helped pioneer hip replacement

Within days of the outbreak of war four sisters, four nurses and two medical officers resigned to join up. Dr Burton-Fanning and Mr Balance were called up by the 1st Eastern General territorial hospital in Cambridge. 97 convoys from overseas were admitted to the hospital, totalling 7880 men. Five members of the honorary medical staff served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and 29 nurses joined the Naval and Army Nursing Services. A total of £23365 was donated by the public to provide and maintain beds for soldiers.

War Office agrees to pay 3s per day for each military patient. This later increased to 4s and then to 4s 9d in 1918. A scheme was set up for people to subscribe for the maintenance of the military beds. Subscribers paid £5 per month for a bed in their name. The Eastern Daily Press ward was opened for 60 military patients.

Shortage of resident medical officers due to conscription. Assistance provided to the hospital by medical partnerships from Diss and Fakenham who alternated in providing a resident medical officer to the hospital. 60 beds allocated to treat discharged soldiers. There was also an increased uptake of outpatient services including massage, electrotherapeutics and rehabilitation.

Norfolk & Norwich Hospital in Wartime...part

Letter received from Navy to say that beds were unlikely to be needed. The Hospital Board offered the 100 beds to the War Office to use as needed.

References: Cleveland, D. A Lord Mayor’s Year in Wartime Norwich. Norwich: self-published, 2020. Cleveland, A. A History of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital from 1900 to the end of 1946. Norwich: Jarrold & Sons, 1948.

N&N recognised as a treatment centre for discharged soldiers by Ministry of Pensions. Four patients admitted after a Zeppelin raid. Funds donated to create a recreation room for convalescent military patients.

A special ward for soldiers was suggested and the Eastern Daily Press launched a campaign to raise funds for this purpose. There were 720 donations received totalling £2637.

First convoy of 97 men arrived for treatment from France. At the time there was only one horse-drawn ambulance so transport of soldiers from the railway station to the hospital had to be arranged with support from the British Red Cross and the Order of St John.

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Reported to the Board that beds had been offered to the Naval Medical Services if needed –50 beds now, 50 more at the end of the week and 150 in marquees in the grounds if needed. Offer for 100 beds accepted but would only be used if Great Yarmouth Hospital was unable to deal with those admitted there.

Staff recommended the organisation of a blood transfusion unit to treat injuries.

King George VI paid a surprise visit to Norwich to see how the city had been affected by air raids. This included an unofficial visit to N&N to speak to staff and patients and inspect damaged buildings. Plans for three semi-underground shelters to be built in hospital grounds and two emergency operating theatres with their own lighting in the basement under the casualty room.19patients sent to N&N because of air raid, 11 admitted and two dead on arrival. Windows in the hospital were damaged in the raid.

Two-hour air raid on city with over 50 tons of bombs dropped. Patients moved from top floors of hospital to the basements. 87 patients admitted and 95 out-patient casualties received because of the raid. Considerable damage received to parts of the hospital. Repair work started on hospital. 237 patients transferred to other local hospitals or home. A further 21 were transferred the next day.

Services provided to the American Air Force as well as some German prisoners.

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The David Rice Memorial Wing of Hellesdon hospital was leased to the N&N for £1500 per year to accommodate patients whilst hospital was repaired. All the maternity cases were transferred to this ward, along with a further 50 beds allocated for surgical cases.

First air raid in Norwich. Hospital ordered to evacuate all patients who could be moved due to likelihood of an imminent attack. By 10 September only 45 patients remained. The hospital could not return to full quota of patients until November 1940.

Another heavy raid with 25 casualties admitted but no further could be received as fires on St Stephens Street prevented access to the hospital. Patients diverted to Woodlands Hospital in Bowthorpe Road. N&N experienced loss of electricity and phone lines for several hours. There were only 90 patients in the hospital, and these were transferred to the basement by the nursing staff. Hospital further damaged and many of the repairs that had been made were immediately undone.

N&N hit by bombs with 120 beds out of commission. 80 nurses and maids became homeless as the Leicester Nursing Home caught fire. Main operating theatre and linen room were destroyed. Roofs of Wards 3 & 4 were burnt, and Wards 1 &2 were damaged. Account from Dr Cleveland that “In the early hours of the morning the hospital grounds presented a curious sight. All around on the lawns and paths were patients on mattresses among chairs, tables, office records, surgical instruments, nurses’ clothes, and everything that could be moved out of danger.”