Joan’s lesson for the NHS (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Here is the letter in full.

n 1966, a very nervous nursing cadet called Joan Woodcock arrived at Blackburn Royal Infirmary. Her first impression was that she had entered into an army barracks, not a hospital. Everything, including the nurse's uniforms was spotless. Hair had to kept neat and short, jewellery was banned and anyone who broke the rules soon incurred Matron's wrath. Some forty plus years later, Joan has written a book in which to her obvious and profound dismay, she exposes the neglect of patients by some of today's nursing staff.
There are many examples of how standards and attitudes have changed, but I think the following two are the most graphic. Early in her nursing career, an elderly tramp was brought into Casualty. He stank to high heaven and was covered from head to foot in lice. Without hesitation, a colleague of Joan's washed and shaved the old man and cut his hair, all the time speaking soothing words to him. Indeed Joan adds, a member of the royal family would not have been treated better, and with greater respect. Fast forward to today. Joan visits an elderly neighbour in the geriatric ward and finds her slumped over a table, her face in a plate of cold food and her feet in a puddle of urine. Just a few yards away at the nurse's station, the Sister in charge of the ward was sharing jokes with the other nurses while they were having a cup of tea.
She also tells of elderly and infirm patients not being given washes, or becoming dehydrated because they were not helped to have a drink. An even more graphic example of how attitudes have changed is that of a student nurse in a hospice point blank refusing to help a senior colleague clean up a patient who had soiled her bed. The student nurse's comments were, "I don't do mess."
When one reads Joan's book, Matron Knows Best, the True Story of a 1960s NHS Nurse. one can only be filled with despair and wonder whatever has happened to a health service that was once the envy of the world. The answer I am afraid is, people. So I am going to suggest that Joan's book should be made compulsory reading for every member of the NHS from Chief Executives to Cleaners. Perhaps then, we will get our NHS back.
D.Walker. Barrowford.

wholeheartedly agree with every word. nurses are not allowed to be caring anymore. the care and compassion went out when the accountants were given a free hand in the running of the nhs and just look at the mess.
there are many reasons why nurses at all levels seem to be less caring the main one could be they are not respected. I have found that attitudes in the new blackburn royal is terrible. you know very well it is a job and not a vocation. the quality of some staff is worrying, but when you are only offering short term contracts and poor pay what do you expect. good staff dont come to blackburn. it seems that increasing the parking charges has a higher priority than quality staff retention. but thats pfi for you. if ever the public have been ripped off this is a classic example. so the tories have started the privatisation of the nhs in england. be worried very worried.