- Email: [email protected]
Admission of patients with mental illness and mental handicap.
1346 from putting out domestic, catering, and laundering services to tender to provide improved services for patients. Mr Patten claimed that 10-4 million had been saved on 66 contracts awarded to private firms and £2.7million on 55 cases of work awarded inhouse. He emphasised that these savings were not being achieved by any lowering of standards. The performance of the contractor or inhouse service is carefully monitored to ensure that the tasks are carried out effectively.
Admissions of Patients with Mental Illness and Mental
Handicap Statistical bulletins produced by the DHSS indicate that there has been a steady rise in admissions and discharges from NHS hospitals and other units for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped in England between 1973 and 1983. Admissions to mental handicap hospitals and units have risen by 19 600 (171%) and discharges by 20 100 (178%) and to mental illness hospitals and units by 14 300 (8 - 2%) and 13 700 (8 - 3%). The number of people admitted for the first time, however, fell by 11 % for mental handicap and 14% for mental illness. These figures seem to reflect a trend away from longterm admissions in favour of short periods of treatment repeated as necessary. Between 1979 and 1983 the number of residents in mental handicap hospitals and units fell by 12% to 40 200 (roughly 1 in 1150 of the population) and in mental hospitals and units the number fell by 10% to 69 000 (1 in 700). The increasing number of old people has led to an increase in the number of admissions for dementia of 5% in 1982-83. About 10% of all admissions in 1983 were for dementia.
Copies of DHSS statistical bulletins nos 1/85 and 2/85, Mental Illness Hospitals and Units in England and Mental Handicap Hospitals and Units in England (ISBN 0 946539 58 8 and ISBN 0 946539 63 4) may be obtained (£11 each) from the DHSS Information Division, Canons Park, Government Buildings, Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 1AY. Settlement Between Government and Pharmacists
_
Community
The Government has announced a settlement with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee representing community pharmacists. TheHealth Minister, Mr Kenneth Clarke, said on May 23 that a satisfactory conclusion had been reached, after complex negotiations, for a simplified contract fair to the taxpayer and to the profession. The features of the new contract include: a system of annual negotiations and cost inquiries to a fixed timetable insuring implementation of settlements on April 1; responsibility for deciding on the desirability of new NHS pharmacies, on the ground of patient requirements, to be passed to Family Practitioner Committees; an increase in financial support to essential small pharmacies in rural areas; and alterations in the way costs are collected to share savings equally between the Government and the
profession. Upgrade NHS Buildings Building Employers Confederation, published
£2 Billion Needed
to
A report by the earlier this year, concluded that [,2billion would have to be spent to bring NHS properties up to a minimum acceptable standard. Spotlight on Health Service Buildings (available free from BEC, 82 New Cavendish Street, London WlM 8AD) states that Britain spends less on health than any major developed country, apart from Greece. Although older buildings are not necessarily outmoded, the overall age of NHS building stock must contribute to inadequate provision of facilities and hence in part to the lengthening of waiting lists. Slow progress in providing facilities for community care worsens the situation, since patients are often forced to remain in hospital. The report emphasises that the Government provides barely 10 000 facilities earmarked for use by elderly people annually and elderly people occupy nearly half the total number of hospital beds. An estimate of 700 000 extra old people over the age of 65 by 1991 suggests that, unless NHS capital spending is increased, certain sections of the population, especially the elderly, will suffer
unnecessarily.
Obituary EDWARD GEORGE SAYERS Kt, CMG, MD NZ, FRCP, FRACP
Sir Edward Sayers, one of the dominant figures of New Zealand medicine in the two decades after the war, died in Dunedin on May 12, aged 82. After
in 1924 from the Otago Medical School, a medical missionary at Gizo in the British Islands Protectorate. A new hospital was built and time was found to send mosquitoes to the London School of Tropical Medicine and snakes to the British Museum. Later he was awarded the Australian Cilento Medal (1940) for outstanding work to the benefit of native welfare in the Pacific. The mission was forced to close in 1934 for
qualifying
Dunedin, he became
economic reasons. He used all his meagre savings to go to London, did a cram course, and passed the MRCP exam at first attempt. All his money gone, he returned to Auckland, and set up in practice. His manifest clinical abilities were soon in great demand and after 1938 he confined himself solely to consulting work. He held a visiting appointment at Auckland Hospital. On the eve of the 1939-45 war he was called up into the New Zealand Medical Corps and went to the Middle East in 1940 as a specialist in tropical medicine at the lst NZ General Hospital, which went to Greece. After the hurried evacuation it was reformed at Alexandria and was then at Helwan. When the Pacific theatre of the war opened up he was transferred to the 3rd NZ Division and was in command of 4th General Hospital at Noumea, New Caledonia. Important work was done on malaria prevention and he was much in demand by the American forces. He was awarded the US Legion of Merit in 1944. At the end of 1944 he returned to consulting practice in Auckland, becoming one of its leading physicians. He made a great reputation with the development of grand rounds at Auckland Hospital, which became the showplace for open discussion and informed criticism long before these became common practice in medicine. Openness was one of his endearing traits: he was always prepared to stand up and be counted. He was chairman of the Dominion Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the College’s nominee on the Medical Council of New Zealand. Then, in 1956-58, he was the first New Zealand president of the College. This post involved a lot of travel to Australia in the prejet days.
Otago
When the Medical School needed a new dean in 1958 it was natural that he should be invited to fill the position. He did not relinquish his clinical interests and the weekly round at his medical unit was a star attraction. The deanship entered a difficult phase as the University of New Zealand was split into independent universities and the several special schools including medicine lost their semi-independent positions. Nevertheless the clinical basis of the medical school was strengthened with new chairs and he never forgot that it was the education of the general practitioner that was paramount. His great achievement was to persuade the Wellcome Trust in London to fund a new building for medical research and to endow a chair of experimental medicine for Sir Horace Smirk. The Sayers Building is his memorial in Dunedin, where he initiated the planning of its medical library and administration offices before he retired.
Then he set up in consulting practice in Dunedin where he was much sought after, for he kept up with modern trends and always knew where to get the best advice. He was much consulted by national bodies, he was chairman of the scientific committee of the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand (1968-79), and he chaired the committee distributing lottery funds to medicine. He was a gregarious person who made easy contacts with everyhe met. He fostered the activities of promising juniors; and little that engaged his attention was not the better for his wisdom. one
R. G. R.
Admissions of Patients with Mental Illness and Mental
Handicap Statistical bulletins produced by the DHSS indicate that there has been a steady rise in admissions and discharges from NHS hospitals and other units for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped in England between 1973 and 1983. Admissions to mental handicap hospitals and units have risen by 19 600 (171%) and discharges by 20 100 (178%) and to mental illness hospitals and units by 14 300 (8 - 2%) and 13 700 (8 - 3%). The number of people admitted for the first time, however, fell by 11 % for mental handicap and 14% for mental illness. These figures seem to reflect a trend away from longterm admissions in favour of short periods of treatment repeated as necessary. Between 1979 and 1983 the number of residents in mental handicap hospitals and units fell by 12% to 40 200 (roughly 1 in 1150 of the population) and in mental hospitals and units the number fell by 10% to 69 000 (1 in 700). The increasing number of old people has led to an increase in the number of admissions for dementia of 5% in 1982-83. About 10% of all admissions in 1983 were for dementia.
Copies of DHSS statistical bulletins nos 1/85 and 2/85, Mental Illness Hospitals and Units in England and Mental Handicap Hospitals and Units in England (ISBN 0 946539 58 8 and ISBN 0 946539 63 4) may be obtained (£11 each) from the DHSS Information Division, Canons Park, Government Buildings, Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 1AY. Settlement Between Government and Pharmacists
_
Community
The Government has announced a settlement with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee representing community pharmacists. TheHealth Minister, Mr Kenneth Clarke, said on May 23 that a satisfactory conclusion had been reached, after complex negotiations, for a simplified contract fair to the taxpayer and to the profession. The features of the new contract include: a system of annual negotiations and cost inquiries to a fixed timetable insuring implementation of settlements on April 1; responsibility for deciding on the desirability of new NHS pharmacies, on the ground of patient requirements, to be passed to Family Practitioner Committees; an increase in financial support to essential small pharmacies in rural areas; and alterations in the way costs are collected to share savings equally between the Government and the
profession. Upgrade NHS Buildings Building Employers Confederation, published
£2 Billion Needed
to
A report by the earlier this year, concluded that [,2billion would have to be spent to bring NHS properties up to a minimum acceptable standard. Spotlight on Health Service Buildings (available free from BEC, 82 New Cavendish Street, London WlM 8AD) states that Britain spends less on health than any major developed country, apart from Greece. Although older buildings are not necessarily outmoded, the overall age of NHS building stock must contribute to inadequate provision of facilities and hence in part to the lengthening of waiting lists. Slow progress in providing facilities for community care worsens the situation, since patients are often forced to remain in hospital. The report emphasises that the Government provides barely 10 000 facilities earmarked for use by elderly people annually and elderly people occupy nearly half the total number of hospital beds. An estimate of 700 000 extra old people over the age of 65 by 1991 suggests that, unless NHS capital spending is increased, certain sections of the population, especially the elderly, will suffer
unnecessarily.
Obituary EDWARD GEORGE SAYERS Kt, CMG, MD NZ, FRCP, FRACP
Sir Edward Sayers, one of the dominant figures of New Zealand medicine in the two decades after the war, died in Dunedin on May 12, aged 82. After
in 1924 from the Otago Medical School, a medical missionary at Gizo in the British Islands Protectorate. A new hospital was built and time was found to send mosquitoes to the London School of Tropical Medicine and snakes to the British Museum. Later he was awarded the Australian Cilento Medal (1940) for outstanding work to the benefit of native welfare in the Pacific. The mission was forced to close in 1934 for
qualifying
Dunedin, he became
economic reasons. He used all his meagre savings to go to London, did a cram course, and passed the MRCP exam at first attempt. All his money gone, he returned to Auckland, and set up in practice. His manifest clinical abilities were soon in great demand and after 1938 he confined himself solely to consulting work. He held a visiting appointment at Auckland Hospital. On the eve of the 1939-45 war he was called up into the New Zealand Medical Corps and went to the Middle East in 1940 as a specialist in tropical medicine at the lst NZ General Hospital, which went to Greece. After the hurried evacuation it was reformed at Alexandria and was then at Helwan. When the Pacific theatre of the war opened up he was transferred to the 3rd NZ Division and was in command of 4th General Hospital at Noumea, New Caledonia. Important work was done on malaria prevention and he was much in demand by the American forces. He was awarded the US Legion of Merit in 1944. At the end of 1944 he returned to consulting practice in Auckland, becoming one of its leading physicians. He made a great reputation with the development of grand rounds at Auckland Hospital, which became the showplace for open discussion and informed criticism long before these became common practice in medicine. Openness was one of his endearing traits: he was always prepared to stand up and be counted. He was chairman of the Dominion Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the College’s nominee on the Medical Council of New Zealand. Then, in 1956-58, he was the first New Zealand president of the College. This post involved a lot of travel to Australia in the prejet days.
Otago
When the Medical School needed a new dean in 1958 it was natural that he should be invited to fill the position. He did not relinquish his clinical interests and the weekly round at his medical unit was a star attraction. The deanship entered a difficult phase as the University of New Zealand was split into independent universities and the several special schools including medicine lost their semi-independent positions. Nevertheless the clinical basis of the medical school was strengthened with new chairs and he never forgot that it was the education of the general practitioner that was paramount. His great achievement was to persuade the Wellcome Trust in London to fund a new building for medical research and to endow a chair of experimental medicine for Sir Horace Smirk. The Sayers Building is his memorial in Dunedin, where he initiated the planning of its medical library and administration offices before he retired.
Then he set up in consulting practice in Dunedin where he was much sought after, for he kept up with modern trends and always knew where to get the best advice. He was much consulted by national bodies, he was chairman of the scientific committee of the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand (1968-79), and he chaired the committee distributing lottery funds to medicine. He was a gregarious person who made easy contacts with everyhe met. He fostered the activities of promising juniors; and little that engaged his attention was not the better for his wisdom. one
R. G. R.