Village nurse for labouring and artisan classes(1908/09)

Post date: Feb 29, 2012 4:12:55 PM

Extract from Parish Magazine Dec 1908:

VILLAGE AND DISTRICT NURSES.

The Midwives Act of 1902 provides that after January 1st, 1910, no woman may be employed as a Midwife unless she is registered under that Act; and no woman can be registered unless and until she has gone through a specified training to fit her for the work, except in the case of a woman, who has followed the profession of midwife for a certain number of years, in which case under certain conditions she can be registered without having gone through the special training.

It follows that at the beginning of the year 1910 the number of midwives will be considerably reduced, and it may very easily happen, especially in country places, that people of the labouring classes will find themselves in a difficult position, unable to obtain the kind of assistance which they require in an emergency, and which they have hitherto been able to obtain without much difficulty or great expense- unless some provision is made to supply the want in accordance with the requirements of the Act of Parliament.

To assist parishes, or groups of parishes, in making this provision, and also to promote the employment of General Nurses, is a chief aim of a recently-formed society called the "Kent County Nursing Association, affiliated to Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses, for training, supplying, and supervising District nurses." The County Association is supported by subscriptions, by fees paid by affiliated Local Associations, and by a grant from the Kent County Council for the training of nurses.

Women of suitable character (not under 24 years of age) may offer themselves for training, the expense of which is borne by the County Association. In return for their training they have to agree to work for the Association afterwards for a period of not less than three years. They may be trained either as Midwives or as General Nurses. The Maternity training extends over four months. For General Nursing the Midwifery training is supplemented by a further term of five months, which gives a full qualification for a " Village Nurse."

The County Association has engaged Miss Jacobs, a fully trained Queen's Nurse, to act as " County Superintendent," whose duties include the giving of advice to Local Associations and the supervision of the work of Midwives and Village Nurses employed by them.

A Local Association may be formed for a single parish or a group of neighbouring parishes. Within certain conditions laid down by the County Association, a Local Association engages either a Midwife or a General ("Village") Nurse, arranges a scale of fees paid by its Members for the use of her services, and collects the money to pay her salary (£45 to £60 a year). The Midwife or Nurse is bound to according to the Rules of the County Association, and to carry out the directions of the Medical Man whose patients she may he nursing. She wears the uniform of the County Association.

The services of a Village Nurse are intended chiefly for the labouring and artisan classes. For a place like Wateringbury (or Wateringbury and district) the following is a possible scale of fees for general nursing : —

Annual Subscription

for family ticket (covering husband, wife and children under 16-every other member of a family, half-price in addition) paid for before beginning year :—

(a) Labourers, under-gardeners, etc ................ 2/-

(b) Artisans, head-gardeners, etc ................... 3/6

(c) Shop-keepers, clerks, etc ......................... 7/6

NOTE. — Non-Subscribers to pay for the nurse (a), 1/- ; (b), 2/6 ; (c), 5/- per week ; or to become subscribers for the rest of the year by immediate payment of double the annual subscription.

Extra Charges : —

(1) for night duty : (a) 3d., (b) 6d., (c) I/- per night.

(2) for confinements : (a) 2/6, (6) 5/— , (c) 7/6, for 10 days or more if required.

NOTE. — Non-Subscribers, double. It is probable that the Committee would fix much higher fees for confinements if no Medical Man engaged.

Associates (or annual subscribers of other classes) in cases of emergency, or where a resident nurse is not required, might be visited for general nursing if the nurse is not too busily engaged otherwise, but would be expected to give a donation in addition to their annual subscription.

Extract from Parish magazine of March 1909

SHALL WE HAVE A VILLAGE NURSE?

That depends upon whether the people want one.

The question will be decided at a public meeting to be held in the Church Rooms on Tuesday, the 16th inst., at 7 p.m. It is a matter that concerns the work-people, for whose benefit a village nurse is chiefly intended. If the work-people think they would like to have a nurse resident in the village let them attend the meeting, hear what Miss Crook has to say about the advantages of having a nurse and then vote whether they will have one or not.

Of course a village nurse has to be paid for. Many of the residents have already promised to subscribe. The work-people themselves would have to pay something: labourers would have to pay 2/- a-year; and artisans and head-gardeners about 3/6 a year. This gives them the call on the services of the Nurse whenever wanted.

Probably Nettlestead and Teston would join Wateringbury. One nurse could very well rnanage to do the work of the three villages. East Mailing, with a population rather larger than that of three villages combined, has had a " Queen's Nurse" for some years.

Read the notice printed below, and come to the meeting.

* * * * *

On Feb. 9th an influentially attended meeting (summoned by invitation) was held in the Church Rooms, Wateringbury, under the, chairmanship of Mr. Alan Lambert (in the unavoidable absence of the Vicar of the parish), to consider a project set out in the December Parish Magazine, of engaging a nurse for Wateringbury and District in connection with the Kent County Nursing Association.

After listening to a most interesting address from Miss Jacobs, the Nurse Superintendent of the County Association, the meeting (1) agreed to support the formation of a Local Association; (2) formed itself into a Provisional Committee ; and (3), having authorised the immediate payment of the affiliation fee of 10s. 6d. (so as to ensure priority of application for a Nurse), resolved that a Public Meeting should be held at any early date to consider the matter further.

G. M. L.

NOTICE.

A PUBLIC MEETING

WILL BE HELD IN THE

CHURCH ROOMS, WATERINGBURY,

At 7 p.m.,

On TUESDAY, MARCH 16th,

(1.) To hear an Address from Miss F. EVA CROOK, the. Secretary of the Kent County Nursing Association ;

(2.) To consider the desirability of establishing a Local Branch of the County Association with a view to obtaining the services of a Nurse for Wateringbury and District; and if approved,

(3.) To appoint a Committee and Officers.

ALAN LAMBERT,

Hon. Sec. (pro tem).

Extract from Parish magazine , August 1909:

The Committee appointed in public meeting to make arrangements for the engagement of a Village nurse for Wateringbury and Nettlestead has recently met twice, and has approved a scheme of rules, which will be published in due course. Sir George Wolseley has undertaken the office of treasurer, and Miss Lambert is the honorary secretary, with Miss C. Cobb as assistant for Nettlestead. The Vicar of Wateringbury is president, and the vice-presidents are the Rev. W. F. Cobb, Mr. Alan Lambert, Mr. R. Fremlin, and Dr. Southwell-Sander. It is hoped that sufficient support will be guaranteed to enable us to start a nurse in October. Benefit members are divided into three classes, paying an annual subscription (for a family card) as follows :—A., Labourers, etc., 2s. 0d.; B., Artisans, etc., 4s. 0d.; C., Shopkeepers, etc., 7s. 6d