Redhill General Hospital
A Memory of Redhill.
The picture is of the old East Surrey Hospital and I can remember my mother being an in patient there for many weeks around 1954--- as children we were not allowed in to the wards and I can remember waving to my Mum through a window.
I did my nurse training at Redhill General-- starting as a pre nursing student in 1965 and qualifying in 1970. We went between the two sites -- the other one being Smallfield Hospital in Horley which was an old war time hospital. I trained in the days when every hospital had a Matron and there was very strict discipline. we wore starched caps and aprons and the stiff collars were very uncomforable.
The ward at Redhill were named after places in Surrey--- the medical wards were Chipstead and Chaldon. Surgical wards were Bramley and Brockham and the childrens ward was in a part of the hospital that was the old workhouse--- The Spike. The isolation ward was also very old and had been an isolation unit for a very long time-- that was called Ifield Ward.
Despite it being a very old hospital some very innovative surgery was carried out there in the 1960's -- it was here that some of the first hip replacements were done by Mr Peter Ring who perfected a special technique that was in vogue for several decades.
It is interesting to note that each ward had it's own designated cleaner who took great pride in the ward-- we must have had very low infection rates despite there being only a very small proportion of the antibiotics that are available today.
The hospital was in a beautiful position on Redhill Common and the training I received there is still being put to good use as I continue my long career-- now in Australia. I have many happy memories of my time there.
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I never regretted the decision and took up my part time role on Brockham Ward which was at the time an Obs and Gynae ward. I learned so much, the trained staff were wonderful, kind and very generous with their knowledge. I quickly became a valued member of staff and looked forward to my shifts. Our glorious Ward Sister, Sister Wendy Best was amazing and she was universally loved by her team
I enjoyed working with the patients, I loved the routine and the difference in pace between day shifts, theatre days and evenings where there was so much time to talk to the lovely ladies that stayed with us for a few days (sometimes longer)
Part of my job was to accompany patients to theatre and I worked hard to reassure them and try and take their mind off their operation. It was also my responsibility to prepare the old Isolation Ward for its twice weekly influx of Day cases.
I left Redhill when we moved house. I was very sad to leave. Brockham ward was a very special place and holds a gentle place in my heart.