Heatherwood Hospital
July to December 1988

Hospital Chiefs Solve Hospital Staffing Crises

Drastic measures by health bosses have averted a staffing crisis at a Berkshire hospital. As a result, out-patient clinics at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot will stay open at least for the time being.
The hospital has managed to recruit sufficient medical secretaries to cover for the summer after resorting to massive advertising campaigns, college recruitment drives, encouraging people to work from home and training up unqualified staff.
Safe
Out-patient clinics were threatened because such staff are crucial as support to the hospital's clinical work.
Any clinic cancellations would have resulted in waiting lists for general surgery, general medicine and paediatrics shooting up.
Flagging staff levels at Heatherwood have been blamed on competition from other employers in the area. poor salaries and the high cost of living.
Hospital administrator Alastair Watt said: "After going to great lengths to recruit staff we have managed to avoid a situation where we have had to cancel anything "Our clinics are safe for the time being.
"These are, however. temporary arrangements and it is going to cost rather more because we have had to use agency staff."
A third of the posts for medical secretaries at the hospital were vacant before hospital managers went into action.
Heatherwood managers are still interested in hearing from anyone with medical secretarial training. Contact Mr Watt on Ascot 23333 ext 2015.
Extract Evening Post 05/07/1988

 

History Repeated

Maurice Seymour had every reason to smile last week as he and his wife Elizabeth were among the first residents who came back to the Chiltern Cheshire Home.
The Seymour's were evacuated to Bedfordshire after a two-week spell in hospital following the horrific fire which gutted part of the home at Gerrards Cross.
History has a funny way of repeating itself too, for Maurice was the first resident to live at the home when it opened in 1968.
But last week there was little time for reminiscing as he got down to the serious business of re-arranging his possessions.
After a celebration turkey dinner with other residents and staff, Maurice set to work, although he is not back in his old room but has instead had to set up camp in one of the workrooms.
Home manager Peter Hughes said he did not think it would be until October that the remaining nine residents, now staying at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, would be able to come back home.
In the three months since the appeal for cash for a new home started £16,807.67 has been raised.
Extract Buckinghamshire Advertiser 13/07/1988

 

Hospital Staff are Needed

IF you are a secretary who has had medical experience,For a local hospital is appealing for medical secretaries to help out this summer, to keep outpatient services and clinics going
The hospital, Heatherwood at Ascot, says that medical secretaries are in such short supply, it has been unable to recruit enough over the summer holiday period.
And as a result, it may have to close some clinics, resulting in longer waiting lists. "It's a serious problem" says a spokesman. One reason for the shortage is that medical secretaries on the staff of the NHS are poorly paid in comparison with secretaries in commerce.
Meanwhile, anyone who has had appropriate secretarial training or experience in the medical field, and who might like to help out this summer, can ring Alastair Watt on Ascot 23333, ext 2015.
Extract Evening Post 18/07/1988

 

Hospital's Car Park May Fund Patient Care

By Times Reporters
Car park charges could be introduced at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, to raise extra funds for patient care services.
Hospital chiefs are looking at a number of ideas for generating income, which is part of a DHSS initiative to make more use of health service facilities.
At a meeting of the East Berkshire Health Authority, members were told they would not be legally empowered to make a profit from schemes until the Health and Medicines Bill, now going through Parliament, becomes law.
But hospital chiefs are already drawing up ideas to take advantage of the changes as soon as possible.
At the top of the list for Heatherwood is the possibility of developing a private patient block, followed by the scheme for car parking charges.
In a report, members were told there was a provisional contract with a commercial agency to survey and possibly implement the car park idea, with the agency advancing the cost of any capital works which would then be recovered from income generated in later years.
Other fund-raising ideas include an advertisement hoarding facing the London Road and railway and the provision of a shop in the mental health unit which could get off the ground later this year.
Members agreed to note the report and discuss it fully once the formal Bill has been approved in Parliament.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 28/07/1988

 

Hospital To Get Royal Lift Off

A new £4.5 million unit will be the crowning glory of Berkshire's Heatherwood Hospital after a royal visit.
The Princess Royal will visit the Ascot hospital on November 14 to open buildings for the mentally ill.
Enormous
The new development is step forward in the care of the mentally ill, providing for the first time a local service integrating in-patient, out-patient and day patient care.
Don McWilliams, chairman of East Berkshire Health Authority, said the royal visit will be a great boost for hospital staff.
He said: "The task of bringing into use the new buildings at Heatherwood and of establishing locally based services for mentally ill people has been an enormous one to which a great many people have contributed.
"The visit of the Princess Royal will put the seal on all this work and will give a tremendous fillip to staff morale."
Extract Evening Post 02/08/1988

 

Annabelle is Dr Tree at last

A sense of relief has overcome Annabelle Tree now she has become a fully-fledged doctor.
Annabelle, 24, of Ferring Lane, Ferring, has been celebrating since June when she received her exam passes.
Last week she was packing her bags ready for a move to Ascot as a junior house officer at Heatherwood Hospital.
Her duties there will include six months of surgery, three months of orthopaedic work and three months general surgery.
Then she hopes to gain a place on a general practitioner course which lasts for a further three years.
But right now Annabelle feels glad to get the exams out of the way.
'My duties at Ascot will be dealing with patients on the wards, being on call for emergencies, working in casualty and watching the work of the surgeons,' she said.
Annabelle went to the now closed Convent of the Holy Family School in Littlehampton and then on to Worthing Sixth Form College which she left with A Levels in physics, chemistry, biology and maths.
It was then on to five years at St Mary's Hospital at Paddington.
During training Annabelle jetted off to New Zealand for a spell to see how hospitals work down under.
A keen hockey player, Annabelle has performed in light opera and is a member of the Christian Union.
'I would like to become a GP, but the courses are quite hard to get on to,' she said.
Extract Lancing Herald 05/08/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The photo captioned DR Annabelle Tree...wants to become a GP
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Revamp Welcomed

Bracknell councillors have welcomed the £16 million improvement scheme for Heatherwood Hospital, but they want reassurances that support and diagnostic services at the Ascot hospital will also be strengthened.
In May, the East Berkshire Health Authority announced plans to turn Heatherwood into a general hospital with better acute services.
Bracknell will also get a new community hospital.
Officers told a meeting of Bracknell Forest Borough Council environment committee that improved facilities at Heatherwood must be accompanied by a strengthening of support and diagnostic services, such as pathology labs and X-ray facilities.
Coun Bill Wreglesworth said: "The scheme will be a great help to the area because we must move towards a situation where the best possible equipment is available to the largest number of people.
"But we must have this assurance because otherwise we may end up with a situation where services are improved but we do not have enough chaps on the ground to diagnose and support."
Councillors agreed to ask the health authority to confirm diagnostic and support services will be strengthened, sufficiently to support other improvements.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 11/08/1988

 

Hospital Calls for Linguists

Health chiefs at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital are appealing to their staff who can speak a second language to come forward.
Assistant Unit Manger Shiela Hayes is calling for interpreters to help doctors who are dealing with patients from foreign countries.
The voluntary work will be with acute and elderly mentally ill patients, although interpreting for general patients at the hospital may be needed.
Said Mrs Hayes: The problem is not that serious and we do not envisage it happening that often, but we want to compile a list of people who could help so we are prepared for all eventualities.
"The intention is to have a list of people from the district we can call when needed Staff from within the NHS would be preferred so patient confidentiality is maintained, but Mrs Hayes said anyone with a language skill would be helping the service.
If you can help, contact Sheila Hayes at Heatherwood Hospital, London Road, Ascot. Tel Ascot 23333.
Extract Bracknell Times 18/08/1988

 

Angry Bracknell nurses ready for overtime ban

By Jo Haynes
Hundreds of angry nurses are set to approve an indefinite overtime ban which would throw two Bracknell hospitals for the mentally handicapped into chaos.
Members of COHSE, the health employees' union, at Church Hill House and Binfield Park Hospitals were balloted this week on industrial action as fury grew over the nurses' pay deal.
Union leaders were confident of announcing the go- ahead for an overtime ban today (Thursday) which, they claim, would deprive some patients of educational and social activities.
The East Berks mental health unit branch of COHSE went into official dispute with management after a meeting last Friday. The 200-plus branch members, who make up about 90 per cent of the hospitals' nursing staff, say they have been given no chance to consult with management over the implementation of the nurses' pay deal.
Some nurses have claimed they will be down-graded and lose up to £1,500 a year.
Devalued
COHSE branch secretary Terry Philbey said: "The nurses are very angry. they feel devalued because at last they expected to be paid for the jobs they do. "Management have just not abided by the national agreement with the union to consult fully with staff before implementing the regrading plans.
We need a chance to put forward our arguments.
"We have only heard through here say that some people will be downgraded, which is unacceptable." Mr Philbey says the blame must be shared by local management and the district and regional health authorities.
He said: "The Department of Health is pushing deadlines forward all the time so management was due to submit plans to East Berks District Health Authority this week.
"They have not started consulting with us yet and. we want them to hang on." Mr Philbey says members will abide by the union code of conduct to provide emergency staffing at the hospitals, where around 250 patients live.
But he warned: "We are talking about providing basic care only.
"Educational activities and social functions will have to be curtailed."
Mr Philbey claims up to a third of staff on each shift are working overtime duty.
He said: This action will show management just how much extra the staff are putting in to keep services going "They are relying on the goodwill of the nurses."
Night staff voted unanimously for the indefinite ban at a crisis meeting on Monday and day staff were due to be balloted yesterday.
Mr Philbey said: "I am confident they will accept the union recommendation for action."
COHSE regional officer Tracey Lambert said: "The nurses feel they have been led up the garden path over pay again.
Grading
"One charge nurse has been told his proposed grading and it would mean him losing £1,500 a year."
At Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital nurses were hopeful the pay deal could be introduced more smoothly. John McDougall, spokesman for the GMB Matsa section, which represents around 100 Heatherwood nurses, was due to continue talks with management today.
Extract Bracknell Times 25/08/1988

 

Lion Is Caught Napping

Bracknell Lions were caught lying down on the job when they presented Heatherwood Hospital with a new orthopaedic bed.
The bed, worth about £500, has hydraulics on it and can be used with orthopaedic attachments.
Alaistair Watts, the general administrator at the Ascot hospital, said: "We have about 500 beds and they are improved and replaced all the time."
He added: "People in the community are very generous towards the hospital, so I think we do very well from them."
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 01/09/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption Trying the bed for size-Alan Strickland, president of Bracknell Lions, with Norman Bolitho and Rusty Brown.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Call For Clarity On Nurses Pay

A health union official at Ascot's Heatherwood hospital has called for the Government to clarify plans for the nurses' pay deal.
John McDougall, a GMB Matsa section official, represents more than 100 of the hospital's nursing staff.
He has met with management three times in the last week to discuss regrading of his members, but he says talks cannot progress further without advice on a national level.
Mr McDougall said: "The management has told me their initial ideas of how the nurses should be graded and there are a few sticking points.
"But we cannot really go further until there is agreement between the Department of Health and the unions nationally.
"We need to be clear on what is classed as continuing responsibility for a nurse.
Extract Bracknell Times 01/09/1988

 

Mothers Little Helpers - The Real Story

With publicity at last being given to the plight of the many people who become addicted to tranquilizers, reporter ANNE LEE talks to a woman who knows all about the problem and is now trying to help others. She has asked for her Identity not to be revealed
Tranquillizers
dubbed Mother's Little Helpers by the Rolling Stones in the '60s-were once doled out as the simple solution to life's emotional problems.
The name was soothing and comforting, and so was the idea you could take a pill and be able to cope with heartbreak and worry.
Thousands of people in this country take tranquillizers of some kind and some find they give the temporary boost needed to help them through a crisis.
But others are on the road to becoming unwitting drug addicts, losing control of their own lives and sometimes suffering a whole new set of symptoms caused by the drugs themselves.
Suffering
The problem has reached such an extent that a one-day seminar was held at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital, aimed at helping people suffering from tranquillizer withdrawal. One of those who attended was Sally (not her real name) who began taking tranquillizers 14 years ago to get her through A levels.
Her father had just died and there had been parental and school pressure on her to do well.
She went to her family doctor and was prescribed tranquillizers to calm her nerves and help her sleep.
They had the desired effect and she came out with two grade As and a B- despite being so nervous that she took a whole bottle of 13 tablets before and during her final exam.
But it was the beginning of the downward slope which eventually left Sally terrified of being committed to a mental hospital and looking "like something out of Dachau".
And Sally has now got strong feelings about doctors who prescribe the drugs.
She said: "I feel all too often they give them out just to get people out of the surgery." After A levels she went off to university to do an English degree.
For the first 18 months, despite the loneliness of being away from home for the first time, she took no drugs at all.
But eventually her sleeplessness got worse and worse again, until one day she collapsed. She was taken into the university medical centre and discharged after three days with a bottle of valium.
Prescribed
From that moment in 1976 until February 1987 Sally took tranquillizers, sleeping tablets and anti- depressants of one kind or another prescribed for her by a succession of GPS.
"Because the doctors prescribed them I assumed I needed them and that they were helping me," said Sally. Somehow she scraped through her degree and then started a long succession of jobs which rarely worked out.
She got the sack several times, but still kept on trying. It was a similar story of inadequacy with her personal life no real friends, married boyfriends, finding herself pregnant and too ill to cope.
She had an abortion which left her in the depths of depression. It was reaching rock bottom in 1986 and being terrified of being committed to a mental hospital that finally seemed to bring Sally to her senses.
She explained: "I got caught in a vicious circle. I believed I needed the drugs because I couldn't sleep and I was over anxious. But the insomnia was 100 times worse after I went on them. I'd go back to a doctor and say this drug isn't working, I need something stronger, and they'd give me another one to try." Finally, she rang her mother in desperation and begged her help to get off drugs.
She moved back home and went to see the doctor who had started her on drugs over 10 years previously.
"It was a revelation to me when she told me I didn't need the drugs and that they were not helping me," she said.
The doctor promised to help Sally wean herself off drugs.
"I thought I might have a tough time for a few months-but I had no idea how bad it would be," she said.
Exhausted
When she started to come off in February 1987, Sally was taking one anti-depressant and two sleeping drugs. Gradually the dosage was reduced until nine months later she was off all drugs.
The side effects of withdrawal were severe and even now cause her distress, although things are slowly getting better. But it will take about two years to get all the effects out of her system.
She found herself totally exhausted because she was getting virtually no sleep for nights on end but was still trying to cope with a job during the day.
"I just didn't know what I was doing half the time. I wrote one car off and damaged another," said Sally.
"I was looking awful. I looked like something out of Dachau and I felt as if I was IN Dachau."
By July this year she was suffering from severe exhaustion and on her doctor's advice gave up work to concentrate on getting physically strong again.
It is only within the last month that she has found real relief after coming across neuro-electrical therapy, when a gives low voltage pulses which induce relaxation.
At long last she has found herself able to sleep for seven to eight hours a night.
Now Sally's story looks all set for a happy ending at 32, she is slim with model looks and is attractively dressed.
She is to be married, is planning a new career and hopes she is getting back in control of her life. "Now I can honestly say I'm looking forward to the rest of my life, whereas 18 months ago the future was just a black void," said Sally.
Her boyfriend came on the scene just as she started coming off tranquillizers, and has helped her through the worst of her withdrawal problems with "incredible patience and understanding". And in September Sally is starting a course in counselling people suffering from similar problems.
She plans to follow this up by going back to university to do a post graduate course in counselling. "I feel I've got so much to offer by using my own pain as a springboard," she said.
"I've had to learn to stop being dependent and to help myself, to be self reliant and fend for myself.
Anyone suffering problems from tranquillizers should contact Tranx, a national self-help organisation set up by an ex-addict. Phone 01 4272065 or 01 4272827.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 01/09/1988

 

Hospital Loses Fight to Retain Emergency Unit

A Berkshire hospital is to lose its accident and emergency department. Whitehall has given the go-ahead to plans to axe the unit at St Mark's Hospital. Maidenhead. ending a row which has simmered for more than three years.
The move is a bitter blow to campaigners who have been fighting to retain the unit since East Berkshire Health Authority put for ward the closure plan in 1985
It has effectively been out of use since March
Casualty
Under the authority's plan, the unit will be permanently shut down with services transferred across the district. This includes local GPs providing a minor casualty service, as well as accident and emergency services already available at Wexham Park in Slough and Heatherwood Hospital. Ascot.
Brian Mackness, authority spokesman, today said: "It is part of a move to rationalise services.
Appeal
"By closing the department at St Mark's, we can provide better emergency care elsewhere and save a small amount of money."
The closure scheme. which was approved by the region. had to go to appeal after objections by the watchdog East Berkshire Community Health Council.
The CHC claimed the closure would not be in the best interests of patients, who will be forced to travel further to obtain appropriate treatment.
Extract Evening Post 08/09/1988

 

Nurses' Regrading Talks Go On

Consultation between health unions and management over the regrading of nurses' pay is continuing at Ascot's Heatherwood and Bracknell's Church Hill House hospitals.
Union representatives at both hospitals have had talks with management and further talks are expected to take place.
At Church Hill House, COHSE's Terry Philbey said he hoped to meet the nursing services manager this week.
He said: "We are still optimistic that the regrading issues can be resolved. There is still a lot of doubt about what exactly is going on."
Church Hill House management spokesman Tony McCulloch said the Department of Health and Social Security were pressing for information on what grades nurses had been allocated before full consultation with unions had been able to take place.
Mr McCulloch added that issues raised by the union in the dispute two weeks ago would also be discussed.
These include a union claim that one nurse will lose £1,500 from her new grade.
representative John McDougal of Mensa At Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital, union the medical wing of the General, Municipal and Boilermakers Union, said most of the new grades had been agreed in principal with management.
He said: "We agreed to disagree on certain points like the interpretation of what constitutes continued responsibility for a head ward sister.
"But until we get clarification from the government on what nurses get what grades, nothing can be finalised."
Extract Bracknell Times 08/09/1988

 

Ageing Population Forces Big Rethink

The number of people aged over 85 will increase seven-fold by early next century, increasing pressure on medical system.
Health reporter Carolyn Stobbart investigates.
Health care is undergoing dramatic changes in East Berkshire, prompted by an ageing population. As numbers of elderly people increase across the district, health bosses are having to rethink policies to accommodate their needs.
The Post highlighted report by district medical officers yesterday detailing the last 40 years of health care and examining future trends.
In order to meet changing needs health managers have had to plan alterations in the pattern of hospital services, with an emphasis on care of the elderly.
The present population of East Berkshire is approximately 360,000, and is relatively young compared with the rest of the country.
But since 1948 the proportion of old people aged 75-years and over has nearly doubled.
It is estimated that by early next century the 85 year-old age group faces a massive increase seven-fold
Dr Jeremy Cobb, district medical officer, said: "In the future we have got to find ways of improving services for elderly people, and integrating them into society.
"We are trying to propose plans to rationalise the way in which we develop our care.
"The report is fairly optimistic. On the whole we are pretty healthy when compared with the rest of the country."
The report shows the main causes of death heart disease, cancer and strokes have not changed since 1948, but over the four decades, death rates from infectious diseases have fallen dramatically.
Dr Cobb continued: "We are very much better off 40 years on, and are far more efficient in getting people into hospital and then back out into the community." As well as changing the care of the elderly the authority has made alterations in its hospital services, proposing two main hospitals for the district, Heatherwood at Ascot and Slough's Wexham Park Hospital, backed up by community hospitals. Dr Cobb explained: "This is necessary because we can no longer afford the luxury of high technology services on several sites."
The authority, who claim forward planning has helped them avoid curtailing services, also passes some of the responsibility on to individuals.
Said Dr Cobb: "Through quite simple changes in they way they live, the people of East Berkshire can expect to suffer less ill health, and live longer in the future."
Extract Evening Post 09/09/1988

 

Frustration at Nurses' Pay Award Delay

Nurses at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, are growing frustrated because their union cannot negotiate a pay award until the Government comes up with further guidelines.
Talks have been held between hospital management and the GMB Matsa union, which represents around 100 Heatherwood nurses, but no further progress can be made until the Department of Health comes up with a national agreement.
John McDougall, the Matsa representative, said: "Of course my members are concerned at the delay in implementing the regrading plans because they would like their money soon. "There is some frustration but we cannot have further discussions until we get national guidance."
Talks were suspended last month after the union had expressed concern over some of the regrading plans. Mr McDougall said: "We told management about the changes we would like to see and they agreed with some of them.
"There are no major disagreements over gradings but we cannot sort out the minor points on which we do not see eye to eye until we know what the Government plans.
"But we are fairly confident we can sort things out and most of our members will be happy with their grades."
Extract Bracknell Times 15/09/1988

 

Two Youngsters in Horror Fall

By Kim Hewitt Two Berkshire youngsters are recovering in hospital after miraculously surviving falls from their bedroom windows.
Two year old Marcus Carter fell 30ft to the ground at his home in Barn Close, Bullbrook Amazingly he only suffered cuts and bruises. The tot fell after playing at the window of the family's top floor flat, which flew open.
But for seven year old Maddie Warriner of Ollerton, Hanworth, there was not such a lucky escape.
She is semi-conscious in Heatherwood Hospital, with a fractured skull, a possible broken finger and cuts and bruises after falling 20ft from her bedroom window when the whole pane of glass fell out of its frame.
The accident happened around 9pm on Wednesday after the youngster had been to a school disco. Mum Jacqui put Maddie to bed and settled down to watch television with husband Ken. She said "A few minutes later we heard a bang from outside.
I went out and found Maddie lying on the floor. When we arrived at the hospital Maddie had no blood pressure or pulse, I was in a terrible state."
Maddie had got out of bed and was sitting on the window ledge when glass fell out of its frame, taking the youngster with it.
"Thinking about it I guess Maddie is lucky to be alive.
Having calmed down a little I do not know who I'm angry with the most Maddie for sitting on the window ledge or the council for this shoddy piece of workmanship. The window was not fitted properly that's for sure."
Checked
The couple, who have two other children, and have lived in the house for almost five years. are now taking advice from their solicitor.
Bracknell Forest Borough Council is launching an independent investigation to find out what happened.
Marcus's mum Christine said her son was asleep in his bedroom at 10.30am yesterday when she checked on him. But minutes later a neighbour was banging at the door.
She said: "I still cannot believe what has happened, it's like a bad dream. Marcus fell onto some grass if he had fallen out the front window he would have had no chance as it I would have been concrete.
He really is a little miracle, thank God he is alive."
Now the couple are demanding the council rehouse them for fear of the same thing happening again. But the council says it is not their responsibility to put locks on windows and doors.
Council technical services officer Vic Thomas said he was "shocked and stunned" to hear of both incidents.
Of Maddie's fall he said: "We have called in national experts to carry out an independent inquiry into what happened and why. Until we get the results we cannot do anything"
This morning Heatherwood Hospital administrator Alistair Watts said both youngsters were satisfactory.
Extract Evening Post 23/09/1988

 

All Back Together

Last Friday was a moving day for Chiltern Cheshire Home residents and staff. It was the first time all the residents have been together since the night of the fire that ravaged their home on April 5.
Residents, who have been living at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, since then, were re-united with staff and residents who have been "camping" in the public rooms of the home since the blaze.
The good news is that repairs have been completed on the North Park building and everybody is back in his or her room.
Peter Kimbell, appeals organiser for the home, said: The extra cost of temporary accommodation and the cost and strain of extra travel for staff and volunteers, friends and families is finally over now we are under one roof again."
Extract Buckinghamshire Advertiser 29/08/1988

 

Visitors are Vulnerable to Storm over Advertising

Patients and visitors at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, are battered by bad weather because a council has yet to decide whether to allow advertising on the new bus shelter.
The bus stop outside the hospital was demolished by a car in February and has not been replaced. Bracknell pensioner Stanley Catton, of Shepherds Lane, said: "It's terrible to have to wait outside the hospital for a bus especially in the rain.
"I'm worried for mothers and young children because it's on the top of a hill and exposed to all weather." Michael McNamara, senior engineer at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, which is responsible for the shelter, said the planning department had to decide the advertising issue before the shelter could be replaced.
He said while it was unfortunate people were getting wet, the issue should be decided this month.
Trying
"We have asked for the matter to be given urgent attention and that bus shelter would be one of the first we would replace," said Mr McNamara.
Clerk to Sunninghill Parish Council David Smith said: "We have been trying to get the borough council to do something about it since it was knocked down back in February."
He said many parishioners had complained about the shelter less stop.
Mr Catton said: "I stood there a couple of weeks ago and had to wait 20 minutes in the rain for a bus. It's a very busy route and should have shelter."
Extract Bracknell Times 06/10/1988

 

£450 In Store For Ascot Hospital

Generous customers at Maidens Green General Store in Winkfield together with store owner Ram Jalota have raised £450 for Heatherwood Hospital.
A cheque was presented to hospital administrator Alastair Watt last week. Mr Jalota said two customers gave £50 each and he donated £200 to the collecting tin.
The money would be used to buy pain relieving machines, he said. Called The Pain Box, the machines cost about £100 each and relieve long term pain for most people.
Extract Bracknell Times 06/10/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption Ram Jalota and his family present the cheque.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Staff Dig Deep to Help Out

Caring employees of Bracknell based defence giant British Aerospace will help save young lives thanks to bumper fund-raising efforts.
For the workers at the Bracknell site dug deep to provide Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital with two baby respiration monitors.
The collection was organised by the Amalgamated Engineering Union at the company. with all employees contributing.
Spokesman for British Aerospace Peter Odds said: "Staff have a collection four times a year they have provided many pieces of equipment for Heatherwood Hospital during that time.
They are always willing to give money to a worthy cause.
Hospital Administrator Alastair Watts said: "This was the latest of many contributions received from British Aerospace employees. We are very grateful".
Extract Evening Post 10/10/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption From left, Ken Watkins and Peter Clements of British Aerospace with Andrew Wakefield, aged eight, and Rebecca Hollis, aged three, staff nurse Rachel Weatherall and nurse lan Fraser.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Baby, What a Gift

Workers at British Aerospace have dug deep to help save young lives.
Members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union at the Bracknell company bought two baby respiration monitors for Heatherwood Hospital's children's ward.
They were presented by Peter Clements (above). A spokesman for BAe said: "Staff have a collection four times a year. They have provided many pieces of equipment for Heatherwood during that time.
They are always willing to give money to a worthy cause."
Extract Bracknell Times 13/10/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The photo displayed children and staff from the children's ward.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Hospital Bill Still Beating Budgets

Health chiefs in Berkshire are giving the screw another twist in their bid to ward off a looming cash crisis. Latest figures from East Berkshire show the authority over-stepped its budget for August by £20,700.
That puts the overspend so far at £424,700 less than half way through the financial year. Authority members will this week hear that spending over budget is levelling off slightly, as pruning measures take effect.
In a report to be presented to the authority on Wednesday however, Director of Finance, Christopher Wren, says hospital managers must maintain their efforts to make savings if things are to improve. He added: "The cash spend is still high and still in excess of the regional average.
Aspects
"Action is being taken to reduce the cash flow." Savings are being urged in all aspects of health authority work, such as staffing. equipment, drugs and fuel. The measures come despite a decision by the authority earlier this year to approve a £822.000 package of cuts aimed at balancing its budget.
A break-down of the latest figures reveal that, at Wexham Park, an acute unit which deals with patients from across the district, over spending in August rose by £100,000.
This has been blamed on medical services, acute nursing and the continued use of agency staff in theatres.
Pleasing
At Heatherwood in Ascot, and Windsor's King Edward VII Hospital the new figures show patient care areas are still exceeding their budgets, although other areas, such as midwifery nursing are improving.
Dr Wren states it "was pleasing" to note the slowing of the over spending trend. He goes on that savings are "always difficult to maintain." Unit general managers need to keep up their efforts. He added: "Action is also being taken to reduce the demands on cash and to increase the allocation to the district."
In April the authority agreed to a variety of cost cutting measures. These included the loss of 20 beds at King Edward VII. and reduced services at St Mark's Hospital in Maidenhead, and at Wexham Park.
Extract Evening Post 17/10/1988

 

Hospital Upgrade Hit By Staff Fears

District health chiefs have confirmed their intention to improve Ascot's Heatherwood hospital in a multi-million pound scheme despite fears of problems staffing it.
East Berkshire district health authority revealed plans to turn Heatherwood into a fully fledged acute general hospital in March.
Brain Mackness, press officer at the health authority, said: "We have confirmed our intentions to concentrate acute services on two sites, Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospital in Slough, despite concern about manpower.
"There may be a problem achieving the balance between the numbers of junior and senior doctors but that is a national concern at the moment.
"There are fears the number of junior doctors in the district may get cut so that we would have to concentrate acute services on one site only.
He has asked for approval from Oxford Regional Health Authority to continue with the schemes planned for Heatherwood and Wexham Park.
Elderly
Around £10 million has been spent on Heatherwood during the last five years and a further £10 million has been approved.
More wards are planned for acute services and for the elderly.
There will also be a new operating theatre block, a new dispendious ill and improvement of the accident and emergency department. The scheme is still in the planning stages and a steering group has been set up under the chairmanship of John Neate, unit general manager at Heatherwood.
As part of the long-term plan, Bracknell will have a community hospital by the mid 1990s and acute services at King Edward VII hospital in Windsor will be lost.
But the East Berks Community Health Council has expressed concern about the plans and is worried that the accident and emergency unit at Heatherwood has not been able to provide a seven-day service on occasions this year.
CHC secretary Pam Whittle said: "The CHC considers reports of Heatherwood's inability to provide a complete service to be very worrying, especially in view of the plans to concentrate acute services there.
Extract Bracknell Times 27/10/1988

 

Union Warns of Exodus Over Wages

Midwives may start to leave Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital in large numbers if fears about the Government's regrading plans are realised, claims their union representative.
Ronnie Ashley, spokesperson for East Berkshire's 130-strong branch of the Royal College of Midwives, said many of her members are threatening to leave the area if they do not get graded on the scales they expected.
She said: "If we get heavily down graded, which we fear may happen, there could be a massive exodus from the area.
"A number of RCM members at Heatherwood have said they would have to take alternative employment." "If a large number do leave, it is possible the patients would feel the effect."
Dispute
The dispute has arisen because most hospital midwives were expecting to be regraded to scale E when the NHS restructuring was announced by the Government.
But many are now expecting to be put on grade D after the department of health decided midwives who have also trained as general nurses will not be paid more unless the general qualification is vital for their post.
Mrs Ashley said: "We are worried now that many of our members will be placed on grade D, and get around £1,000 less a year than they were expecting.
"The whole regrading exercise was to pay people according to the jobs they do and the Government has now lost sight of that. "The members feel they are not being treated fairly." Community midwives are also concerned they will get put on grade G when many of them feel they do enough training of recruits to justify the higher grade H.
Mrs Ashley says the national vote by RCM members against industrial action limits the protests her members can make.
She explained: "In theory we could all refuse to work overtime but we would not take that on lightly. "The average community midwife does about five hours overtime a week just to cover for colleagues who are off training, on holiday or sick there are just not enough of us to go round."
Morale
Mrs Ashley is concerned the dispute is affecting her members' morale and the standard of their work. She said: "The morale is pretty low because we were expecting to get our pay rise months ago and problems with motivation follow on from that."
John Neate, unit general manager at Heatherwood, sympathises with the midwives. He said: "I can understand their disappointment about the Government's latest interpretation of the regrading plans.
"But it does look as though some of them will be on grade D, unless there is a change in national guidelines.
"But that was not how we originally interpreted the scales and we will try to keep as many as possible on the higher scale."
Extract Bracknell Times 27/10/1988

 

Doctor's Concrete Investment in a Body Scanner

Times reporter Jo Haynes
explains how doctors hope to finance East Berkshire's half million pound investment in a body scanner by marketing its versatility to business, as well as recouping costs through private patients.
A new body scanner will revolutionise disease diagnosis in Bracknell district.
But the £100,000 annual running costs will be met from private patients and company use, for, as one hospital administrator points out, the machine can scan a piece of concrete as well as a patient.
East Berkshire Health Authority installed the £500,000 CT scanner two weeks ago at Slough's Wexham Park hospital.
An intensive marketing programme, to alert business to its industrial applications and attract those with occupational health schemes, is already under way, though health chiefs are keen to stress the new machine is to help patients throughout the district.
District press officer Brian Mackness said: "This will benefit people in Bracknell as much as in Slough it is for the whole district. "It means patients will not have to go outside the area now they often get sent to London at the moment.
Detailed
"It will also result in more doctors taking advantage of scanning because the facility is close at hand."
The scanner can be used to create detailed pictures of the inside of the patient's body and head, enabling doctors to diagnose illness better and decide how to treat them most effectively. It is particularly useful for detecting cancers, brain disease and bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
The scanner unit is available 24-hours a day, providing a service to victims of road and home accidents by helping doctors make split second decisions which could save a patient's life.
The district plans eventually to link Ascot's Heatherwood hospital directly to the scanner via a telephone line which can transfer images within two seconds.
The phone link project will cost around £20,000 and a long-term fund-raising campaign will shortly be launched to ensure the machine is kept up to date. But health chiefs are aware they are gambling on raising the running costs through private income.
Nigel Crisp, general manager at Wexham Park, said: There is a certain amount of risk involved in assuming we can cover those costs from private usage.
Research
"But there is a big market from private patients, companies with occupational health schemes and even for non-medical scientific research.
"The machine can scan a piece of concrete just as well as a patient!" The unit can scan 15 patients on an average working day and most private work will be done outside normal hours.
Just two private patients a day will cover most of the running costs.
Dr Carole Luck, head of radiology at Heatherwood, will be responsible for referring the hospital's patients to the unit.
She said: "It is a tremendous step forward for the people of Bracknell and Ascot because this is our own scanner.
Fighting
"We have been fighting to get it for eight years and now we can give a patient a scan when we want it and not when other health authorities can fit us into their schedule.
"It is the most up to date scanner in the country." Dr Luck expects to send at least one patient a day for a scan.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/11/1988

 

Hairdressing Salon Heatherwood Hospital

Fully equipped 2 position salon for lease, on a seasonal basis. Start up package, 3 half days per week, can go to 12 half days per week.
Customers include patients, staff and general public.
If interested please forward C.V and price list to: Alistair Watt Administration
Heatherwood Hospital London Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 8AA Closing date: 25th November 1988.
Extract Bracknell & Wokingham Times 10/11/1988

 

Princess Royal to See Hospital's New Unit

Princess Anne will be visiting Ascot on Monday to open a new mental health department at Heatherwood Hospital.
The 70-bed unit and day hospital has been running since the start of the year but officials decided to delay the official opening when they discovered the Princess would be available for a visit this month. The project cost £4.5m and has become the headquarters of community psychiatry in the south of the East Berks district.
Brian Mackness, director of support services at the East Berks Health Authority, said: "The Princess will stay for an hour and she will unveil a plaque in the building.
"We are delighted she can come along and this will be her first visit here."
In the past few years, Royal visitors to Heatherwood have included the Queen and the Duchess of Gloucester.
Extract Bracknell Times 10/11/1988

 

Heatherwood's Royal Day

Christmas came early for Princess Anne when she opened Heatherwood Hospital's new £4.5 mental illness wing.
For along with meeting staff and touring the new unit at the Ascot hospital, the Princess found time to chat with elderly patients undergoing therapy, who showed her the Christmas gifts they were making as part of their treatment.
Until a few years ago East Berkshire people with mental illnesses, who needed in-patient care. had to travel to hospitals up to 40 miles away.
Now the new wing can accommodate up to 50 acutely mentally ill people and 25 elderly mentally ill.
Sporting a green and navy tartan dress, the Princess was escorted on a 45 minute tour of the new wing by Colin Reeves, senior nurse manager.
Mr Reeve said: "The Princess was very impressed by the style of the building and seemed to be particularly impressed by the way the old people were looked after."
Clair Warner, day hospital manager, said: "A lot of the patients are quite confused so they have difficulty in remembering things for a long time. But I think this will be a life time memory for them." "It will help jog their memories. They will see the pictures in the paper and it will give them something to talk about."
One day-patient Josephine Thurgood, who was also celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary yesterday said: "She was extremely nice and looked very elegant. I am very please with the new hospital and the nurses are excellent."
Patient Gillian Humphries, one of the first admitted to the hospital in February, said: "It's the first time I have seen her in real life and she looked very smart and was very interested in what we were doing."
Before the visit, Dr Donald McWilliams, chairman of East Berkshire Health Authority, said: "The task of bringing into use new buildings at Heatherwood and of establishing locally based services for the mentally ill has been enormous.
"The visit of the Princess Royal will put the seal on all this work."
Extract Bracknell Times 17/11/1988

Comment:- The above article was accompanied by a photo.
The caption Francesca Baseby age 3 with a gift for the Princess.
Copyright prevents us from displaying the photo here.

 

Mayor is On the Road to Recovery

Bracknell mayor Arthur Cheney is back at home and on the road to recovery.
He arrived back at his Crowthorne home last week from spending several days in Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot, after he collapsed at a Royal British Legion dinner.
Coun Cheney, aged 67, said: "There has never been any question about my continuing with my mayoral duties.
"The deputy mayor has stood in on several occasions as is usual when I am not available and she will continue to stand in for me if I cannot attend."
Coun Cheney recently had an operation for an abdominal condition. A spokesman for Bracknell Forest Borough Council said his month off to recover may not have been enough.
The mayor stressed that he did not pass out at the Annual British Legion dinner, as was reported, nor was he due to speak when he was ill.
Extract Bracknell Times 17/11/1988

 

Charity Darts

A charity darts tournament is being held at the Binfield club on Sunday 11th December starting at 8pm In aid of a new Mental Health Unit at Heatherwood Hospital, Ascot.
A cup has been donated by Mr & Mrs Jones of the Binfield Club Named 'The Heatherwood Cup' Personal Trophies for winners and runners up. Pairs competition, pairs to be drawn on the night. Entrance fee £1 per entry. Organisers Mr A Warwick and Mrs S Lee. Everyone welcome
Extract Evening Post 09/12/1988

 

Residents' Festive Gift

Christmas Day in the children's ward at Ascot's Heatherwood Hospital will be brighter thanks to the generosity of a group of Crowthorne residents.
When Santa dropped in to visit the patients, he was armed with a Christmas tree, donated by residents of Laing Homes' Heathlake Park estate.
The tree became the centrepiece of the ward's decorations after Laing sales negotiator Gay Giles had helped the youngsters decorate it.
Extract Bracknell Times 22/12/1988

 

Call For Health Shake UP

A value for money government audit carried out in September is calling for a shake-up in three departments of East Berks Health Authority.
The authority agreed to take part in the pilot audit carried out by the Department of Health, which looks at economy in the health service.
The report calls for significant changes in the three areas it looked at. These are the catering, equipment for sterilisation and operating assistant departments of the service.
It complained agency staff used in operating theatres were working up to 103 hours a week at a cost of £1,006, and frequently the weekly cost of an agency assistant exceeded £800.
It said administration in employment and payment of agency staff was not good enough and Wexham Park Hospital used only one agency.
Catering studies at Heatherwood, Ascot and King Edward VII, Windsor, showed them to be uneconomical with meal going to waste through too much being cooked and poor portion control.
The report on sterilising centres showed out of date equipment at the three major sites in the district also needed rationalising.
Action has already been taken by the authority to reorganise the departments. Brian Mackness, authority spokesman, said already a 20 per cent reduction in agency rates for operating department assistants had been negotiated. He said it was not possible yet to tell how much money will be saved by the study.
Further studies are being carried out by the authority with a view to completely reorganising catering and sterilising equipment services.
Extract Buckinghamshire Advertiser 28/12/1988

 

Good Times Bad Times

Taking a look back at the year that was
A review of the year by the Bracknell & Wokingham Times
May 1988
  Bracknell residents were also told they could have what they wanted, when it was announced £6 million was to be spent upgrading Heatherwood Hospital into a general hospital. Bracknell people were delighted but residents of Windsor and Iver, who were losing facilities from their hospitals to pay for the upgrading, were not.
Extract Bracknell Times 29/12/1988

  Diary Jan to June 1988