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Getting around the bureaucrats
Bobby Irwin, one of geriatric medicine’s greats, established a Committee among his long stay patients, giving them full ownership of its agenda.

Speaking on behalf of their constituents, the Committee of Long Stay Patients reported that what they wanted from Dr Irwin was a “day in France”. Putting their request to the hospital administrator, Dr Irwin was met, predictably, by shock, horror and phrases like “Impossible!” and “Think of the health and safety issues alone!” Dr Irwin’s solution was to return to his office where he prepared discharge forms for each and every patient before sending them off for a day across the Channel. Once his erstwhile charges had returned, riotously drunk, he admitted them again.

Again, Bobby Irwin...
As part of his campaign to encourage his older patients to have a full life, including an active sex life, Dr Irwin had prominently displayed, a picture depicting through an open door, a very rumpled bed, with an older woman emerging from the room with a truly beatific smile on her face. The caption said: “Hope you have this in your unit”.

our thanks to the BGS member who supplied these anecdotes

Fit for discharge

I was a second wave geriatrician. The first generation honed their leadership skills fighting in the Second World War. They developed the basic 'Goldilocks' principles of our trade: we implemented them.

It was a bright sunny day in 1974, all was going well. God was doing the round with his angels: ward sister, houseman, social worker, occupational therapist and four junior nurses. Suddenly, a lady in her seventies, whom we had passed by, joined our ward round, lay down on the floor and started doing press ups.

Astonished we all looked down, speechless and too scared to speak, when a junior nurse said 'Do you think she is trying to tell us that she is fit
enough to go home?'

Peter Millard

BGS Newsletter, October 2007
Issue 13 ISSN 1748-6343 13