The Second World War And The National Health Service Looms
Early in 1939, the Oakwood sanatorium was listed as a Class 2 Emergency Hospital. At
the outbreak of war, all patients were evacuated to their own homes, with the exception of
17 people, who were transferred to Kimberworth Hospital. Oakwood Sanatorium was released
from its commitments towards the end of October 1939. The bulk of the former patients were
re-admitted but it was found many were loath to leave their homes and families to
undertake further treatment. The disturbance to the nursing and domestic staff led to
difficulties as some staff had found employment with better working conditions or with
higher rates of pay and didn’t want to return to their former employment. Due to
these staffing problems there was an ultimate reduction in the beds available for
patients.
The lack of treatment rooms also caused serious difficulties. Patients who
needed Pneumothorax refills often received their treatment in the Ultra-violet ray room;
this being the only available room fitted with running hot and cold water. The X-ray room
also had a disadvantage as there was no cubicle system where one patient could be
undressing as another was being X-rayed. As the war began patients undressed behind a
screen in a corner of the same room as the x-ray machine. A considerable amount of time
was lost because of this lack of changing rooms that would have helped several patients to
be examined. Other repair or alteration work was also needed throughout the sanatorium.
The mortuary-needed attention, the south wall was in a bad state, being very porous and
damp. At the time a post-mortem examination was very much a public proceeding as the
mortuary didn't have any hot water. So all the instruments, aprons and buckets of water
had to be carried to the mortuary and the only access available was from a door, which is
in full view of one of the wards of block 111.
The 3rd of
September 1939 saw the beginning of the Second World War. The War they said could never
happen again continued over the next six years. Fear of what another war would bring
worried people all over the world. Britain and France again went to war with Germany. A
box to collect war funds was placed on each ward, and the end of each month patients took
a vote on where the money would be distributed. The hospital curtains were replaced with
thick dark ones that would keep the light in. Extra fire buckets were placed around the
grounds in case the sanatorium was damaged by air raids. Some men who after treatment,
were able to resume work, would now join the forces and go to war. This awful disease
often cursed men with a lifetime of misfortune making any future employment difficult to
resume. Many men leaving Oakwood could not continue their former employment in the steel
works or mining. They could not get back into the labour market on an equal with their
fellow men. Poorer patients were given special grants. In 1939 twenty-six patients
received grants for of clothing, underclothing and boots. Others were assisted with
dentures. The storage of a patient's furniture was paid for during any time spent in the
sanatorium. In previous years the number of cases requiring assistance had reduced owing
to the higher rates of wages and in some cases when their husbands were in the sanatorium
their wives would obtain work.
There was little information of the day-to-day lifes at Oakwood Hall for the years 1940
and 1941, and there could be a number of reasons for this. Many medical men and newspaper
reporters were at war and these would be the people responsible for keeping the records on
the sanatorium. It was known that an internal telephone system was installed to the
delight of the medical staff. The assistant Medical Officer and the dental surgeon where
both called up for Military Service. A new assistant Medical Officer was appointed, only
to be called up soon after.
The longest of Rotherham's 142 air raids took
place on the night of December 12, 1940, when the alert lasted for more than nine hours. Staff at Oakwood Hall were trained if anti gas measures with special reference to
the medical aspects. After the training an examination was held. Out of the twenty-five
candidates twenty-three were successful.
As 1942 began the worries were still the outstanding alterations, which required urgent
attention. A senior dental officer visited by a patients in Oakwood Hall who required dental
treatment. Ambulant patients had their dental treatment performed at the dental clinic at Ferham
House. Many of the treatments of TB often rotted the teeth and many patients
would need dental treatment or even dentures. Volunteer work continued at the
sanatorium. Much appreciated gifts were received during the year. A book trolley
was presented allowing patients to make their own choice of library books when they were too ill to go to the
library. Volunteers from the WRVS now came in to the sanatorium weekly and took a number
of books on to the wards. The school didn’t have many children throughout the year;
only 45 in all but the 24 girls and 21 boys progressed well during their stay. The number
of beds occupied during the year remained low; this was due to the shortage of nursing and
domestic staff. Many women were now working more and more in manual work that was once
completed by men. This became increasingly worse towards the end of the year when the
shortage of staff lead to a 32-bedded ward having to close. On the 18th
December there were only 56 patients remaining in the sanatorium.
By 1943 Tuberculosis Allowances were granted to some persons undergoing treatment for
pulmonary tuberculosis and their dependants. The Medical Service Sub-Committee considered
all applications for the discretionary allowance and special payments. Successful names
were also approved by the Tuberculosis Care Committee. The Tuberculosis Officer and the
Lay Administration Officer were then authorised to determine arrangements in conjunction
with the Borough Treasurer for the payment of allowances under the scheme. Leaflets
describing the scheme and application forms were made available at the dispensary. All
patients considered eligible under the scheme were give information as well as an
application form in the sanatorium. In actual practice, the administration of the scheme
was in the hands of the Tuberculosis Officer from the medical side with the issue of the
application right up to the recommendation for an allowance. Each successful person was
given an identification card which was presented by the person authorised to draw the
patient’s allowances. The first payment was made on Wednesday 11th August
1943, for the week ending 14th August 1943.On the first weeks sheet, 10 cases
were included, the total amount of allowances paid being £16 0s 10d. By the end of the
year 18 patients had received maintenance allowances under the scheme.
1944 began with a new assistant Medical Officer being appointed on a salary of £250
per year. This would increase with increments to £375. On the 1st April a new
teacher was also appointed on a salary of £153 per year and a cost of living bonus of
£42 per year, which was paid on the 1st January the following year. On the 30th
June the same year a matron retired, after serving 25 years service at Oakwood Hall. She
had started her service when the sanatorium opened in 1919; she had been an active member
of staff in developing the sanatorium and had become a valued member of staff. The matron
retired on health grounds and retired with her superannuating pension. A new member of
staff was appointed to fill the vacancy; she started her duties on 26th August.
Once again the shortage of nursing and domestic staff became the chief reason for the low
number of patients being treated. The staff shortage was acute, and the staff left working
at Oakwood Hall started to complain of the long hours they were working, an agreement was
struck to reduce the staff working hours to no longer than 96 hours fortnightly. These
efforts to reduce working hours created added difficulties and the number of staff working
each day was now reduced further. This situation remained throughout the following year.
News of the war would have been the topic of many conversations as patients received their
long drawn out treatment. Fear and worry for family members at war gave grave concern, as
everyone knew somebody on the front line.
May 7th 1945, Germany surrenders; the Second World War was almost over.
Patients listened to their wireless sets and read newspapers for any further new of the
troops. The whole nation was as a jubilant and intoxicating spirit, delighted that the war
was over. The whole of Rotherham joined the nation to welcome back their soldiers. The
celebrations were a mixture of joy and sorrow, remembering the many men who would never
return. Their bodies and spirits buried in another country, heroes that died for the
freedom we all enjoy.
As soldiers returned to a heroes welcome they were reunited with family and loved ones.
They would go on to demand many changes to England and health care would only be a part of it.
During 1946-47 life in Oakwood Hall continued as normal, making the adjustments to life
after the war. The financial committee gave permission for the structural and alteration
work to go ahead. This was now delayed owing to lack of labour and materials in the
building trades. The bed occupancy remained at a low level only two wards remaining
opened. By the end of 1946 only 32 beds were occupied through this did increase to 68 beds
by 1947. The tuberculosis Officer arranged for an ear nose and throat surgeon to visit the
sanatorium approximately once a month. The Tuberculosis Care Committee gave assistance to
patients including financial, bedding, clothing and underclothing. A arrangement was made
with the Social Walfare Committee whereby a Tuberculosis Officers certificate was accepted
for grants of extra medical necessaries of patients, this grant had previously been given
by the Committee.
New antibiotics were now being used successfully in the treatment of TB and the number
of sanatorium beds around the nation was being slowly reduced. Many changes occurred after
the war and through the midst of changes the National Heath Service was established.
Sanatoriums or sanatoria as they were known in some other countries made their mark on
history for almost 100 years. This unique institution made significant developments, in
our understanding of the complexities of the awful disease. Although sanatoriums were not
the only factor that played its part in a better understanding, throughout its 100 years
it must have helped save many hundreds of lives world wide.
Oakwood Halls building still remains and now a office block for
Rotherham General Hospital.
Previous
Back to Index
© Neil and Janet Croft 2005