As Britain declared war on Germany in September 1939 the Workhouse Hospital was full. Emergency provisions were made to support causalities coming back from war. Patients that were well enough were sent home and others were moved to wards within the workhouse. Only the most chronic sick patients could remain in the hospital. Extra food and equipment of a minimum number of 200 people was stored in the cellar under the assistant Master house to support the homeless during air raids.
Staff shortages soon began to occur as many of the medical staff joined the war effort. The hospital was already working on the minimum amount of staff when an influenza epidemic hit the town hard. A number of staff was hit by this awful condition so the Board of Guardians agreed to pay seventeen pounds sick money over 11 weeks to each medical staff member. By November 1939 there was only 11 medical staff of which 9 were nursing assistants to nurse 212 adults. 1/6d per child was allocated to each sick child in the children's ward and nursery for a Christmas gift. However no one was in the mood worry over love ones at war.
By June 1940 war casualties were being cared for about their stay. Somewhere between 1938-40 the Workhouse Hospital changed its name to the General Hospital. By 1943, 4 surgeons worked at the hospital as well as a medical officer for cancer and two medical officers of nervous diseases. Appointments were made for patients to visit any of these medical officers. A dentist also made regular visits but it was likely that patients would have to pay for this service. The hospital was a well-formed nurse training school not only for general nursing but also for midwifery.
© Neil and Janet Croft 2005