Annual report : 1940 / Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

  • Gosport War Memorial Hospital (Gosport, England) no2003077838.
Date:
1940
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1940 / Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    • The Eighteenth Annua® Report 1940. In presenting this Eighteenth Annual Report, the Board are thankful to be able to record the fact that the Hospital has withstood the severe test of activities under modern war con¬ ditions. Normal work has continued, in addition to which air raid casualties have been admitted, and the Board are satisfied that the emergency arrangements have worked very well. The question of accommodation for air raid casualties in the Borough, referred to in the last Report, has received the attention of the Ministry of Health and as a result the National Children’s Home at Alverstoke has been equipped as an Emergency Hospital. A scheme for reception of casualties as between the two Hospitals has been sanctioned by the Regional Medical Officer of the Ministry Health. It will be remembered that last vear the Board were anxious to ensure adequate protection of the Hospital property and equip¬ ment, as the sandbagging undertaken at the outbreak of war had proved ineffective. After negotiations with the Ministry of Health a scheme for brick revetment walls was approved. These were completed in August and the adoption of this form of protection has been amply justified. In this connection the Board are pleased to report that the Hospital has sustained only the most trivial damage from enemy action, mainly due to an incendiary bomb which was immediately dealt with by the Staff. Under the Emergency Medical Services Scheme, the Hospital must provide accommodation for members of the Services requiring operative treatment and also for air raid casualties. In spite of these additional demands the waiting list is not unduly lengthy, as might have been expected in these circumstances. In order to maintain a reserve of empty beds, it has occasionally been necessary to send patients to other Hospitals for treatment or to transfer patients to Base Hospitals under the Emergency Hospital Scheme. While regretting the necessity for such trans¬ fers, the Board feel that all concerned will appreciate the wisdom, of this procedure. These abnormal conditions are reflected in the Summary of Admissions, etc., given below :— 655 Admissions (775 in 1939) 453 Major Operations (557 in 1939) 351 Minor Operations (327 in 1939)