550 INSPECT NEW MATERNITY HOSPITAL THE NEW 24-BED GP MATERNITY HOSPITAL IN WHALLEY DRIVE, BLETCHLEY was visited by 370 adults and an estimated 180 children with them when it was opened for public inspection for two hours on Saturday afternoon and for a similar period on Sunday afternoon. The visitors were very pleased and impressed with what they saw, but no more pleased than Mr. .W. Robbins the Aylesbury Hospitals Group Secretary, who told us at closing time on Sunday that he had been delighted with the large response to the invitation. The hospital is open for “business” as from this coming Sunday and the gorup matron, Miss M.B. Farn told us they were hoping for their first baby on that day. Besides Bletchley, the hospital will serve Leighton Buzzard, Linslade, Buckingham, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Wing, Winslow and Woburn , but the vast majority of the weekend visitors were from Bletchley itself. They were shown round by Mr. Robbins, Miss Farn, Miss I.A. Miln, who is to be the superintendent midwife in charge, and various members of the group’s administrative staff. Robbins said he flelt that with the response the open afternoons had been well worthwhile. “Now that they have seen all this, perhaps a few more people will understand the apparent delay, but really we cannot start bringing people into hospital until we are fully ready for them”, he added. APPRECIATIVE “However, I am very appreciative of the BletchleyCouncil’s helpfulness and also of the people of this district themselves. We shall do all we can to keep them in the pircture.” He added that for a start they would “build up” to 12 beds occupied. This would be a matter of weeks, not months. Subsequently they would build up to the full total. The staff comprising nurses and everybody else, would then number 20 or just over. Our reporter says the general impression of the visitors seemed to be how much better was this up-to-the-minute purpose-built job with its approaches and environs, than any earlier adaptation or enlargement of older property could have been. There are four wards of 4 beds each and eight single-bed wards. Each four-bed ward has its own ablutions next door down the passage and there are also four nurseries for the babies. SPACIOUS Also included in a lay-out that is at once compact and spacious are two delivery rooms, an examination room, sluice room, doctors’ changing room, staff kitchen , milk kitchen,a store (no sterilising is done at Bletchley; all the material comes packed from Aylesbury), a central nurses’ station area with telephones and a panel of warning lights, a reception centre and a sister’s office, not forgetting a very pleasant and cheerful room where the daddies can wait with the bunches of flowere. All the furnishings and decorations are bright and modern even to the corridor skylights, which have been designed to give a warm, golden glow even on the dirtiest day in winter. MODERN Connected with this main building by a covered way is a smaller one on similar modern lines which inlucdes the main kitchen and the staff dining room. Consultant obstetricians are Mr. David Methuen,MB FRCOG, and Mr. D.N.S. Robertson, MB, FRCOG, and Dr. Geoffrey Rivett, of Bletchley, is to be medical officer with administrative responsibilities. Above extract taken from Bletchley Gazette dated July 28th 1967.