Rushden to Possess a Big Hospital
Representative Meeting Explores Scheme
Five Acres of Land, Endowments, and Income Promised

Last night an informal meeting was held in the Vestry Hall, Rushden, to “sound” the various organisations of the town on the question of providing an adequate hospital for Rushden. The meeting had been called by the Rushden and District Friendly Societies’ Council, and they had invited representatives of the social clubs, Trade and Labour Council, etc. There was a good attendance.

Mr. C. J. Giles (secretary of the Friendly Societies’ Council) presided, supported by Mr. G. S. Mason and Mr. G. W. Coles, J.P.

The Chairman said that the Friendly Societies felt strongly in the matter of a Rushden Hospital, as it was their duty to help the sick and victims of accidents. They felt that the time had arrived when Rushden should have its own hospital. He asked for suggestion on the subject of the necessity of providing such an institution and its maintenance. He welcomed Mr. Coles, who, he said, had made a great study of the need and means of supporting a hospital.

Mr. Coles said that they at that meeting could take no action, but he supposed that the representatives would report back to their organisations. Later on they might want to approach the Rushden Council. There could be no two opinions about the need of an efficient hospital in the town. The time had gone when a patient’s admission to hospital was regarded as the preliminary to dying. For skilled medical and surgical attention, and efficient equipment in quiet surrounding, a hospital was indispensable. The Ministry of Health was of the opinion that there were not enough hospitals in the country. On the other hand, the Ministry found that voluntary hospitals were more efficient than State-aided hospitals, and that as long as their voluntary hospitals were efficient they should stay, because of the splendid personal contact. Failing efficiency, he was in favour of State hospitals. In Northamptonshire there was the Northampton General Hospital and Kettering and Wellingborough Hospitals. Rushden, the next largest town, had no hospital. The hospitals in Northamptonshire were not sufficient to accommodate the sick of the county and the accident cases. Also, patients had perforce to be discharged before they otherwise would be. The cost of a hospital for Rushden could be partly met by the contributions now made to the Rushden motor-ambulance. In 1919 Rushden was strongly in favour of a hospital, as shown by a postcard vote of the inhabitants. Opponents said, “Yes, perhaps we can afford the outlay of providing a hospital, but we could not afford the upkeep. That was a stiff proposition, but they had missed a great opportunity in 1919. Mr. Sartoris had offered several acres of land, the late Mr. John Clark £1,000, and Mr. C. W. Horrell £500. Soon after that came the slump in the boot trade. Now trade had improved somewhat, and they had the advantage of a factory fund, which could be at the disposal of letters for the Rushden hospital. Patients could still be able to go to Northampton Hospital, as Kettering patients did. He believed that

Rushden’s Own Doctors

were equal to any doctors in the county. The majority of cases which went to Northampton Hospital did so because of unsatisfactory conditions, and for good nursing. How much better it would be to have the patients under their own doctors and to have visitors in without being put to the expense of travelling several miles. He mentioned certain bequests amounting to about £2,000 for a hospital in Rushden, and said that when such a hospital was provided other people would make bequests for the hospital. It would probably be three years before the hospital could be opened; so it was necessary to start organising early.

Mr. Campion said he had friends who had waited three months for beds. He strongly favoured providing a hospital for Rushden.

Mr. Freeman said the meeting would do well to decide what area the hospital would serve and then invite representatives from all over the area.

Mr. Coles said that Higham Ferrers and Wymington could easily be regarded as in the area. He hoped that requests for representatives would come from outside places. He agreed that they should otherwise be invited.

Mr. Spencer thought they should have estimates of the cost of provision, upkeep, and accommodation, then they would have something to work on. It would be well to spend even three years to raise the money and do the thing properly.

Mr. Coles promised that statistics from Kettering and Wellingborough should be obtained.

The Chairman said that the scheme in 1919 was intended as a war memorial. He did not criticise the present War Memorial, as it was a very beautiful one, but the hospital would have been more serviceable. (Hear, hear.)

In reply to Mr. Bennett, Mr. Coles said that Mr. Sartoris had promised five acres, if necessary, in Kimbolton-road, next to the Town Bowling greens. He hoped that the offer was still open. He further explained that nothing was “cut and dried,” and he suggested that the members present show whether they approved the principle, and then meet again when he had secured the information asked for.

Mr. Nunley moved, and Mr. Morris seconded, that the meeting approve the principle of providing a town’s hospital.

Mr. H. T. Mackness said he did not see how Rushden could get better service than they were getting at Northampton and Bedford Hospitals, while to get a second-rate hospital in Rushden would never do. Northampton Hospital was greatly in need of funds, and if Rushden stopped its £1,500 and Higham Ferrers ceased their contributions, they would be worse off. He did not favour launching a big scheme beyond their means.

Mr. Spencer said that £1,500 raised in Rushden did not represent the usual annual contribution for the hospital. About £500 was a special jubilee gift. The town had a job to raise £1,000 a year on a regular contribution.

Mr. Giles said that though Northampton Hospital would not have Rushden’s gift of £1,000, they would also not have the liability of Rushden’s patients.

The motion was carried.

A Hospital for Rushden
Urban Council Requested to Call A Town’s Meeting
Views For and Against The Scheme

Last night the adjourned meeting of representatives of the different Friendly Societies and other institutions of Rushden was held in the Vestry Hall to receive a report from Mr. G. W. Coles, J.P., on the result of his inquiries regarding the cost of provision and maintenance of Wellingborough Hospital. Mr. C. J. Giles presided. There was a fair attendance. There were present as representatives of the Rushden Trades Hospital Committee Mr. J. Capell (chairman), Mr. T. W. Cox (one of the governors of Northampton Hospital), and Mr. F. J. Sharwood.

Mr. Coles, for the benefit of representatives who were not present at the first meeting, gave a resume of what had transpired at that meeting. He reiterated that the people of Rushden were sent either to Northampton or Bedford Hospital, both of which were run on lines above praise, but, for want of beds, patients could not be admitted as soon as they wanted. He had obtained figures on the cost of Wellingborough Cottage Hospital and its upkeep. Nearly 20 years ago Wellingborough spent £2,500 on the original part of the hospital. Three years ago additions were made as a war memorial costing £4,396, giving increased accommodation. People living in or working in Wellingborough were eligible for admission to the hospital. There were beds for six men, six women, and eight children. If they were “pushed” they could get one more bed each in the men’s and women’s wards and two in the children’s ward. In addition, there were four private wards which the public could use at times. It was very rarely that the Wellingborough Cottage Hospital failed to meet the town’s needs, and the waiting list was short, consisting of cases which could easily wait. A similar hospital would do amply for Rushden and Higham Ferrers combined. Last year the cost of Wellingborough Hospital was £136 per bed, or 50s. a week, which was very low. The 20 beds thus cost £2,720. There was no resident doctor in the hospital, the staff consisting of a matron, three staff nurses, and four probationers. An X-ray department had been added (£800 cost), the actual apparatus at a cost of £400, being the gift of the Wellingborough Operatic Society. The provision of other equipment – furniture, beds, linen, crockery – for the hospital and a nurses’ quarters cost £1,500. The hospital was managed by 25

Elected Governors

and the town’s medical men. In 1926 268 cases were treated, 226 being cured, 13 relieved, nine dying, and 20 being still under treatment. Wellingborough contributed £500 a year from a factory fund, and the rest was raised by donations and subscriptions. Rushden raised about £1,999 and had in 1926, as a special effort, raised £500 extra. He formally moved that that meeting request the Rushden Council to call a town’s meeting, to be asked to open a town’s fund for the provision of a hospital in Rushden when the time was considered opportune.

Mr. Cox thanked the organisers for inviting representatives of the Trades Hospital Committee, and said that they all wanted, as the chairman had indicated, to improve the hospital treatment available for Rushden patients. He believed that in the last five or six years there had been a big improvement in that direction. There certainly was need throughout the country for further efficient hospital treatment, and any extra facilities for Rushden must be efficient and not third-rate. (Hear, hear.) For 1d a week workers in Rushden were getting good value. Regarding themselves as “attached” to Northampton Hospital, and comparing that with the position of a hospital in Rushden, there would probably be different opinions as to a local hospital. Rushden could hold any number of in-patient and out-patient letters and could send to Northampton any number of patients without guaranteeing that they would discharge the liability in full. There was

No Question of Efficiency

with the full staff of specialists in surgery, medicine, X-rays, ophthalmic, pathological, and other departments. In the pathological department alone, for instance, tests made in the morning often meant the saving of the patient’s life by the evening. That could not be done in a small hospital. Operations, free dental and convalescent treatment were other advantages at the Northampton Hospital. In Rushden there was the provision of glasses, surgical instruments, and convalescent home letters – all for 1d a week. It would be difficult to set something against that. He hoped he would not be misunderstood. He wanted to do all he could in the best interests of the sick and injured of Rushden. (Hear, hear.)

Regarding the cost of providing hospitals to-day in England and America, the average was £400 per bed for the building. To have regularly 20 beds in use meant providing 30, because there must be a margin. There would be difficulty in dividing so small a number into men’s, women’s, and children’s medical and surgical wards. Allowing £12,000 for the building, an operating theatre, X-rays, ophthalmic department, kitchens, laundries, etc., would cost another £200 per bed, making the total £18,000. The problem of nurses got keener every day. Under the rules of the General Nursing Council, nurses must attend lectures several hours a day, and that could be done only in large hospitals. Thus they would have to send nurses to Northampton Hospital for lectures. In small hospitals it was reckoned that there should be one nurse for each two patients, and in larger hospitals two nurses to five patients. If Rushden had ten fully trained nurses there would be extra cost. Wellingborough Hospital had taken last year only about two-thirds of the town’s patients, the other third (85 people) going as in-patients to Northampton Hospital. Also, there were 200 out-patients from Wellingborough last year at Northampton Hospital. Wellingborough Trades Hospital Scheme was divided between Wellingborough Hospital and Northampton Hospital. Rushden would

Need Treble Its Contributions

and would still send patients to Northampton. He did not think the employees would raise their contributions so much. It was difficult to raise more than was being raised at present. Wellingborough had a waiting list of 23, and Rushden’s waiting list at Northampton Hospital at present was nine. He believed the waiting list for the county was about 150. In conclusion, Mr. Cox said that he personally had not come across a case of a Rushden person waiting three months for a bed at Northampton Hospital. If he could do anything to help anyone to get treatment at the hospital quicker than they themselves would, he should be happy to do so. (Applause.)

Mr. Coles welcomed Mr. Cox’s constructive criticism, as he termed it, and said that if his proposal would not stand criticism it must be dropped. Mr. Cox evidently welcomed the proposal, providing there was the financial support forthcoming. He (Mr. Coles) thought that the Trades Hospital Scheme was the best thing of the kind ever done in Rushden. (Hear, hear.) Further, he would not ask to have the contributions raised, because there was no need of it. He did not regard that as the only source of income. There were people better placed than the workers who would probably subscribe liberally to an efficient hospital in Rushden. He knew of his own knowledge that people had waited three months for operations at Northampton. The fault was not with the Rushden doctors. They would send the patient for examination, and then the patient would be told to wait until sent for. He was not a great believer in “big business” in the sense of all the county going to one institution. Patients became mere numbers or cyphers, and lost that

Personal Touch of Their Own Doctors.

They all much appreciated Mr. Cox’s kindness in promising to get Rushden patients in the hospital early, but would not that mean someone else in another part of the county being kept waiting longer than they otherwise would? He understood that the county waiting list was about 200. He claimed that 70 per cent. Of the cases that went to Northampton Hospital could be treated equally well in a Rushden Hospital. They would avoid the danger of taking a patient 15 miles to hospital. He acknowledged that there would always be patients going to Northampton, but even now some went to London hospitals. In Wellingborough nearly every tradesman and businessman gave his quota, the hospital receiving from that source something like £1,200.

Mr. Cox asked whether Mr. Coles had a suggestion regarding the source of raising the capital sum.

Mr. Coles said that that was for the town’s meeting to discuss.

Mr. E. Freeman asked that the resolution be merely that a Rushden hospital be considered.

Mr. Sharwood explained that the representatives of the Trades Hospital Committee were not authorised to vote at that meeting.

Mr. A. E. Haddon (Rushden Windmill Club) said he was similarly placed.

After further discussion an amended resolution was carried nem. con., seven votes being recorded in favour.