Carry On matron Hattie Jaques may be just what the doctor ordered for the struggling NHS, a new study shows today.
Carry On matron Hattie Jaques may be just what the doctor ordered for the struggling NHS, a new study shows today.
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.”
Notes to editors
- Norwich Union Healthcare Norwich Union commissioned Taylor Nelson Sofres to conduct an independent survey of 500 adults. The survey was carried out in July 2001.
- Norwich Union Healthcare was founded in 1990 as the healthcare arm of Norwich Union and now provides a range of income protection and private medical insurance products to around 750,000 customers. It is one of the largest providers of income protection and private medical insurance in the UK.
- CGU and Norwich Union merged on 30 May 2000 to create CGNU plc - the world’s 6th largest insurer, the UK's largest insurance group and one of the top-five life insurers in Europe with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
- CGNU's principal business activities are long-term savings, general insurance and asset management with worldwide premium income and retail investment sales of Ł26 billion and assets under management of more than Ł200 billion.
- The combined life and pensions, general insurance and retail fund businesses in the UK operate under the Norwich Union brand, while the institutional business operates under the Morley Fund Management brand.
- Norwich Union’s news releases are available on the internet on this site
- A selection of images are available from the CGNU Newscast site at www.newscast.co.uk
For further media information, contact Anja Kueppers or Matt Buchanan at QBO on 020 7379 0304 or Louise Zucchi at Norwich Union Press Office on 08703 66 68 60