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Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Yes I was a QE nurse in the 60s. 1961-1965 and I was in pts216. I also lived in the Nuffield 'virgins' retreat' and the photos bring back fond memories. Anne you say you were on the front of the book ... can I go one better? I was on the tele being interviewed for a nursing documentary and had my leg pulled for ages because the only bit from a whole day's filming was me saying how I liked to be 'alone with men' :D when I was commenting on prefering working on the mens wards. If there is anyone out there who was there in the 60s get in touch with me please.
 
As the old QE is about to disappear it is perhaps appropriate to put on this picture taken 1972 when extensions were being made to the buildings
mike

queen_eliz__hospital_redevelopment_1972.jpg
 
Exciting stuff is quite right, and it's good that Birmingham has got the 'most advanced hospital in Europe'. My daughter not only works at the QE (not medical staff), but she lives in Selly Oak, so she sees it all of the time - day, night and even weekends.
 
Dennis I loved your post on the QE. I worked at the General in the X-ray dept office and then as a ward clerk for Sister Roberts during the 1960's until I got married. Both our children were born at the QE one in 1972 and the other in 1975 after moving to Canada in 1977 I realised just how advanced the QE was at that time. I had a great deal of respect for the doctors, staff and students I worked for and with at the General.
At the birth of our first child students were brought in as it was different and they were some of the students who had started on the ward while I was a ward clerk, by then I guess they were in there last year or specialising. In 2005 my great niece qualified as a doctor and her first house job was at the QE.
Thanks you for sharing that Dennie, takes me back over 40 years. :drsmiley: Mo
 
I remember Mr Oats and I am sure I would remember other names. I remember one of the surgeons always wore a bow tie.
The residents show was the highlight of the year and the year the students managed to get a VW bug behind the snack bar in the front hall. Another year they went the whole way through the hospital pulling up the coloured tape that people followed.
Their best year was when the bricked up the matrons door to the main hall. She was very strict and I found myself in her office twice although I was very good, honest!!
Ward 20 was the place I hated to go as they were always doing cancer research and most of us had little understanding of cancer in those days.
I am sure you remember some of these these events. I am sure they don't happen now.:) Mo

I Have just realised I do remember Dr Fowler. Of course we generally didn't know their first names. I think it was Mr Williams that wore the bow tie and probably Mr Oats. It was usually surgeons that wore them. Maybe so that they didn't cut the end of or get them soiled. lol They were very smart men, I don't remember a female surgeon in those days.
 
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The Surgeons I remember, apart from mr Oates, are Mike Baddeley and the great Victor Brookes - he of the strange ( for Medics then) Black Country accent. All of these had QEH appointments too of course, they worked both Hospitals in the UBH Teaching Group. Both wore bow ties. A remnant from Doctor In The House films where James Robertson-Justice parodied our beloved Surgeon Gods so accurately... OMG I've just remembered there being a proper full sized Squash Court right in the bowels of the General, wonder what it is now?
 
:)Jonny Williams I think was the other one and I remember Mr Brookes. I worked for Sister Roberts on ward 5 she was a horror to everyone. We had sick bay so it was always busy and was surgical woman's ward. When I left she moved the ward clerks deck to the middle of the ward but I think she had a nervous break down not long after. We always thought she was on drugs which was not as common as today but she at access to it as there was always some left after the drug round and left on the side in her office. We may have been wrong but knowing what happened after I left I think so.
When I was in x-ray the doctor in charge was great and had one arm, do you remember his name. A friend from those days found me on Friends Reunite to my amazement. We went to school together so I guess that is how she found me.
Just watching the world cup Ned and Bra. Our son is in Singapore and he is watching it on our Slingbox. An amazing piece of equipment. If you have not heard of it check it out on the Internet. Mo
 
Brilliant old photo of the QEH before Nuffield House was built etc. Put on Birmingham Postcards Thread by Dominic24. Thanks Dom.
 
My mom was tookin to the new bulding in the early hours, very impressive Emergency dept, everything at hand and smack bang up to date.
 
I WORKED AT Q.E HOSPITAL IN THE 70s.MOSTLY AT THE MATERNITY UNIT..I HAD THE UNFORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE NEW Q.E. WHICH IS AWESOME.. BUT MY DEAR MOM DIED THERE ON TUESDAY 13th JULY 2010.THE FACILITIES ARE VERY GOOD.BUT SOME OF THE YOUNGER NURSES NEED TO BE TUTORED IN GIVING A PATIENT DIGNITY .....MOMS NAME WAS BORN MARION HILL THEN SHE MARRIED AND BECAME LEAKE .THEN SHE BECAME A WIDOW AND THEN LATER BECAME ALDRIDGE ...I AM NO STRANGER TO DEATH BUT THE LAST FEW HOURS OF MY MOMS LIFE WILL STAY WITH ME FOREVER....ANYONE WHO KNEW HER IS WELCOME TO THE SERVICE AT ROBIN HOOD CREMATORIUM ON 22ND JULY AT 1.30......
 
Sandra - I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother and that it was not made any easier by the nurses. I don't know about England but I certainly here I think there is a different attitude now than 30 - 40 years ago. Certainly their eduction here any way is very different, so I guess that has some affect on it.
Did you know my friend Vera Harris she was a midwife at the QE Maternity Hospital and was there in the 1970's? Maybe you were there when both my children were born in 1972 and 1975. I thought the hospital was amazing then. My thoughts are with you. Maureen

Nice photo Dennis do you know when that was taken? Mo
 
hi i was at q.e maternity until 1979.the only name that stays with me is staff nurse foster who delivered my first child in lordswood maternity home.then transferred to q.e. she was the kindest person i have ever met in the nursing trade.there were so many docs and nurses and my memory fails me .....they should let the matrons run the wards like they used to .better patient service all round i think.. thanks for your good wishes ....x
 
Sorry about your mom Sandra may she rest in peace

I had two spine operations in the nuero surgery department for spinal stenosis syndrome and the nurses who looked after me were from S Africa they were young nurses and very well educated they were absolutely brill

Mau-reece
 
I heard Carl Chinn on the radio this morning talking about memories of Selly oak and the QE Hoapitals - they are asking for anyone with memories/photos/old hospital documents to contact the Hospital history department. Photos and documents will be scanned- they do not keep the originals.
The contact details are here
https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Histories/index.htm

You can also read other peoples memories and see the picture gallery on this site.

Polly :)
 
I heard Carl Chinn on the radio this morning talking about memories of Selly oak and the QE Hoapitals - they are asking for anyone with memories/photos/old hospital documents to contact the Hospital history department. Photos and documents will be scanned- they do not keep the originals.
The contact details are here
https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Histories/index.htm

You can also read other peoples memories and see the picture gallery on this site.

Polly :)

Last time I was having a trip down memory lane I went into Nuffield House (originally the Nurses Home and venue for the hospital balls, and discovered it had been turned into the Medical and Nursing Library. I found a book "The QE Nurse" (before my time ) I stacked it away until I had time to enjoy. When I took it out of it's wrappings 6 weeks later, discovered the picture on the front cover was my PTS crossing the road with yours truly amongst them! and yet the photo was at a time a few years later!
 
What is QE like today. It used to stand proudly in green leafy suburbia surrounded by fields and meadows. An imposing building on the skyline.
Anne

Hello Anne, I was at the QE - 55th PTS in 1954 and I'm looking to find a few old colleagues on this group. Do you know of any contacts groups or similar where I could get in touch ?

Gwen Jones (nee Huffer)
 
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