ENQUIRY INTO THE SUPPLY OF NURSES

APPENDIX OUTLINING THE NUMBER OF NURSES IN RELATION TO THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BEDS BOTH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND OVERSEAS

*****

The findings of the Committee set up in 1916  to report on the supply of nurses to military hospitals are given in full on the preceding page - Supply of Nurses.  As part of the work of the Committee, detailed figures were drawn up showing the number of beds provided in both military and civil hospitals, at home and overseas.  These show the number of trained nurses and untrained nursing staff employed in military hospitals in each theatre of war and also in civil establishments in the United Kingdom, and a transcription of the findings are given below. While there are obvious and sometimes startling differences between various units, they do not necessarily take account of the number of male medical and general service orderlies who were also employed within individual hospitals.


COMMITTEE ON THE SUPPLY OF NURSES

PROPORTION OF NURSES TO BEDS IN MILITARY HOSPITALS, 1917
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, WO32/9343



HOME HOSPITALS


Nursed by Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service
Number of beds – 45677
Trained Nurses – 2667
Untrained Nurses – 1850
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 17
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 24

Nursed by the Territorial Force Nursing Service
Number of beds – 43357
Trained Nurses – 3099
Untrained Nurses – 3714
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 14
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 11

War Hospitals nursed locally
Number of beds – 37141
Trained Nurses – 2128
Untrained Nurses – 2389
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 17
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 15


HOSPITALS ABROAD

FRANCE
Number of beds – 43700
Trained Nurses – 2284
Untrained Nurses – 1329
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 19
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 32

SALONIKA
Number of beds – 10209
Trained Nurses – 317
Untrained Nurses – 73
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 32
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 39

MALTA
Number of beds – 12954
Trained Nurses – 293
Untrained Nurses – 299
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 44
Proportion of Untrained Nurses per bed – 1 to 44

EGYPT
Number of beds – 13250
Trained Nurses – 503
Untrained Nurses – 102
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 26
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 130

MESOPOTAMIA
Number of beds – 13114
Trained Nurses – 559
Untrained Nurses – Nil
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 23


CIVIL HOSPITALS


LONDON
Number of beds – 12414
Trained Nurses – 964
Untrained Staff – 2935
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 13
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 4

PROVINCES – ENGLAND AND WALES

Number of beds – 51288
Trained Nurses – 2125
Untrained staff – 7696
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 24
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 7

PROVINCES – SCOTLAND
Number of beds – 10045
Trained Nurses – 697
Untrained staff – 1804
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 14
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 5

PROVINCES – IRELAND
Number of beds – 4412
Trained Nurses – 221
Untrained staff – 742
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 20
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 6


POOR LAW INFIRMARIES

Which are recognised as Training Schools in England and Wales
Number of beds – 27303
Trained Nurses – 613
Untrained staff – 2767
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 44
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 10

POOR LAW INSTITUTIONS, SCOTLAND

Total number of beds – 4329
Trained Nurses – 226
Untrained staff – 156

SCOTTISH BOARD OF CONTROL
Number of beds (include many which are not nursed by women) – 10870
Trained Nurses – 473
Untrained staff – 527

IRELAND – WORKHOUSE HOSPITALS
Number of sick (beds not given) – 11813
Trained Nurses – 277
Partly trained staff – 250
Nuns – 366
Probationers - 181

OFFICERS’ HOSPITALS
Under private management
Number of beds – 819
Trained Nurses – 192
Untrained staff – 136
Proportion of Trained Nurses per bed – 1 to 4
Proportion of untrained staff per bed – 1 to 6


*****