Carry on Matron

Carry On matron Hattie Jaques may be just what the doctor
ordered for the struggling NHS, a new study shows.

Britons say the battleaxe with a firm bedside manner, as
portrayed by Hattie Jaques in the Carry On films, epitomizes
what the NHS needs now that the Government has signalled
the return of matrons to UK hospital wards.

And what men want is not the sexy nurse or delectable doc ?
they would rather see the likes of Hattie Jaques checking
their blood pressure than have Holby City?s blonde bombshell
Lisa Faulkner, cheeky Barbara Windsor or Nurse Betty star
Renee Zellweger to send it soaring.

The traditional Hattie Jaques was voted by men as the person
they would most like to see running our hospital wards,
pushing Holby?s Lisa into third place after ER?s Mark Greene.

Women favoured a more modern approach - choosing Dr
Greene ? played by Anthony Edwards ? as their favoured
hospital matron, followed by sensitive Dr Truman from
EastEnders.

But what both sexes agree on in The ?Modern Matrons? study
by Norwich Union Healthcare, is that the 21st Century
Hospital matron should be focused on patient care rather than
cost-cutting.

Men and women both feel that the most important qualities
needed for running one of today?s over-worked NHS hospital
wards are patience and kindness. Being firm with patients
comes in third while budgeting skills were rated important by
fewer than one in 10 of the 500 people asked.

Doug Wright of Norwich Union Healthcare said: ?Our research
shows that people still feel very positively about the role of
the traditional matron. Matrons have always been looked up
to and respected, and although sometimes perceived as
figures from the past, they may well have an important role to
play in the NHS of tomorrow.

?What is very encouraging is that people want the new breed
of matrons to be focused on nursing rather than getting
involved in the money side of running a ward. There is a
feeling that firm but fair matrons are just what the doctor
ordered to drive up patient care in the NHS

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