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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Matron gives modern NHS a check-up | Matron gives modern NHS a check-up |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| By Graham Satchell BBC Breakfast News Advertisement | By Graham Satchell BBC Breakfast News Advertisement |
| Hazel Halter was a figure of authority on the wards | |
| There's something about Matron. Perhaps it is the iconic image of Hattie Jacques from the "Carry On" films. Something powerful, domineering and above all large. | There's something about Matron. Perhaps it is the iconic image of Hattie Jacques from the "Carry On" films. Something powerful, domineering and above all large. |
| As hospital infections have spiralled in the NHS the call has gone out: "Bring back Matron". So that is we what did. | As hospital infections have spiralled in the NHS the call has gone out: "Bring back Matron". So that is we what did. |
| At 83 Hazel Halter has lost none of her authority. | At 83 Hazel Halter has lost none of her authority. |
| We went to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge where Hazel was Matron in the 1970's. | We went to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge where Hazel was Matron in the 1970's. |
| Although she doesn't have the physical presence of Hattie Jacques she admits she can still strike the fear of God into hospital staff. | Although she doesn't have the physical presence of Hattie Jacques she admits she can still strike the fear of God into hospital staff. |
| "I think you had to be a bit scary," she said. | "I think you had to be a bit scary," she said. |
| "I think it is like when you're at home you have to be a little bit frightened of your parents. | "I think it is like when you're at home you have to be a little bit frightened of your parents. |
| "I think they looked up to you in those days as a figure of authority - but I think they also saw you as a sort of mother figure of the hospital." | "I think they looked up to you in those days as a figure of authority - but I think they also saw you as a sort of mother figure of the hospital." |
| Critical eye | Critical eye |
| Matron has come back to cast a critical eye over the NHS. | Matron has come back to cast a critical eye over the NHS. |
| In our day we had a block of carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush. We scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed our nails and our hands until they were almost raw Hazel Halter | In our day we had a block of carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush. We scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed our nails and our hands until they were almost raw Hazel Halter |
| She will see whether the much vaunted fight back against the super bugs adds up to much. | She will see whether the much vaunted fight back against the super bugs adds up to much. |
| First stop: the sink. | First stop: the sink. |
| "Why are you using that particular soap?" Matron asks an unsuspecting nurse. | "Why are you using that particular soap?" Matron asks an unsuspecting nurse. |
| "It's the one recommended by the Trust for infection control," comes the answer. | "It's the one recommended by the Trust for infection control," comes the answer. |
| "And the other one ?" | "And the other one ?" |
| "That's for general hand washing." | "That's for general hand washing." |
| Hazel found the modern NHS was very different | Hazel found the modern NHS was very different |
| All very different from Matron's time. | All very different from Matron's time. |
| "In our day we had a block of carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush. We scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed our nails and our hands until they were almost raw." | "In our day we had a block of carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush. We scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed our nails and our hands until they were almost raw." |
| Today in hospitals there's a combination of soap and alcohol gel. | Today in hospitals there's a combination of soap and alcohol gel. |
| "I thought it was confusing" says Hazel. | "I thought it was confusing" says Hazel. |
| "I saw several people walk by and not use it. | "I saw several people walk by and not use it. |
| "I saw other people using it quite a lot and I don't think people understand when they're supposed to use it and when they're not supposed to use it." | "I saw other people using it quite a lot and I don't think people understand when they're supposed to use it and when they're not supposed to use it." |
| Disapproving of uniforms | Disapproving of uniforms |
| It's not the only thing Matron isn't sure about. She thinks visiting hours are too long and she is unhappy about uniforms. | It's not the only thing Matron isn't sure about. She thinks visiting hours are too long and she is unhappy about uniforms. |
| I don't think you can bring back Matron in the way it was in my day Hazel Halter | I don't think you can bring back Matron in the way it was in my day Hazel Halter |
| Nurses used to have starched collars, aprons and hair pinned up. | Nurses used to have starched collars, aprons and hair pinned up. |
| "I don't like the modern uniforms they all seem very tight." | "I don't like the modern uniforms they all seem very tight." |
| But that is not Hazel's main concern. | But that is not Hazel's main concern. |
| "They told me that they took them home to wash," she said. | "They told me that they took them home to wash," she said. |
| "I'm not happy about that. Some will be very conscientious, others won't be bothering." | "I'm not happy about that. Some will be very conscientious, others won't be bothering." |
| When Hazel first trained in 1946 nurses did most of the cleaning. | |
| Cleaning rot | Cleaning rot |
| Hospital infections were rare and, of course, MRSA didn't exist - the bug had not developed a resistance to antibiotics by then. | Hospital infections were rare and, of course, MRSA didn't exist - the bug had not developed a resistance to antibiotics by then. |
| Today most cleaning in hospitals is contracted out to private companies. | Today most cleaning in hospitals is contracted out to private companies. |
| Hazel does not blame individual cleaners, but says when nurses stopped cleaning the rot set in. | Hazel does not blame individual cleaners, but says when nurses stopped cleaning the rot set in. |
| "They'd got very slack and I think it's a reflection of society as a whole that people don't pay the same sort of attention to things today like hygiene." | "They'd got very slack and I think it's a reflection of society as a whole that people don't pay the same sort of attention to things today like hygiene." |
| At Addenbrookes - and across the NHS - rates of MRSA and Clostridium Difficile have started to fall. | At Addenbrookes - and across the NHS - rates of MRSA and Clostridium Difficile have started to fall. |
| FIND OUT MORE As the NHS turns 60, BBC News is giving it a health check. Watch out for reports, features and analysis on TV, radio and the web. | FIND OUT MORE As the NHS turns 60, BBC News is giving it a health check. Watch out for reports, features and analysis on TV, radio and the web. |
| The government has made hygiene a priority. | The government has made hygiene a priority. |
| There have been a number of high profile initiatives like deep cleans and the screening of patients. | There have been a number of high profile initiatives like deep cleans and the screening of patients. |
| Dr Nick Brown, consultant medical microbiologist at Addenbrookes, says the culture has changed. | Dr Nick Brown, consultant medical microbiologist at Addenbrookes, says the culture has changed. |
| "In the not too distant past there was an acceptance that infections were inevitable and there wasn't much that we could do about them. | "In the not too distant past there was an acceptance that infections were inevitable and there wasn't much that we could do about them. |
| "I think that attitude has changed and the results recently have shown that that is the case." | "I think that attitude has changed and the results recently have shown that that is the case." |
| The old-style matron often inspired fear | The old-style matron often inspired fear |
| In the NHS in England today there are 5,000 so-called modern matrons. | In the NHS in England today there are 5,000 so-called modern matrons. |
| They are responsible for a smaller number of wards than the old style matron but they still have control over all nursing and cleaning staff on those wards. | They are responsible for a smaller number of wards than the old style matron but they still have control over all nursing and cleaning staff on those wards. |
| So should we bring back the old style Matron? Would it make any difference? Hazel isn't sure. | So should we bring back the old style Matron? Would it make any difference? Hazel isn't sure. |
| "I don't think you can bring back Matron in the way it was in my day. | "I don't think you can bring back Matron in the way it was in my day. |
| "But I think personally seeing those girls this morning I thought they were doing a very good job." | "But I think personally seeing those girls this morning I thought they were doing a very good job." |
| The reality is hospitals today are probably too big for one person to look after. | The reality is hospitals today are probably too big for one person to look after. |
| The days of Matron have gone. | The days of Matron have gone. |