The caring health professionals at Tavistock Hospital are continuing to offer new advanced services to residents of West Devon and this week, the Times looks back to those who have contributed to this essential care in days gone by.

Here are some photographs from Tavistock Museum’s collection which feature nurses from the sixties and seventies in maternity, the convalescence ward, conducting a scan, raising funds froma sale, decorating for Christmas and on rounds in the women’s ward, among others.

If anyone recognises anyone in the photos here and has any memories of working at Tavistock Hospital or any other old photos, the Times would love to hear from them on [email protected].

The hospital has been serving the community since 1896 from the current building. In its time it has housed a children’s ward and been a convalescence home for WWI soldiers.

Today the hospital carries out day surgery in its operating theatre with consultants leading the experienced skilled nursing team and has a new dressings clinic for recovering surgical patients who can have potential cancer growths removed, for instance. Many residents are unware of the surgery that is available to them so close to their homes. They often assume Derriford is the nearest hospital for surgery. It is well-known that a relaxed environment is the best medicine to aid recovery and that is what Tavistock Hospital offers, with patients seeing the same staff before, during and after surgery. The nursing team is integrated into the community and therapy teams, working with GPs and social care workers.

The hospital also has a minor injuries unit (open seven days a week) to treat broken bones, sprains, cuts and burns and 15 in-patient beds, where famillies can easily visit from close by. An X-ray serevice also provides GPs with scans Monday to Friday. The physiotherapists help muscular and skeleton pain and injury online or in-person. Hospital staff also work with palliative end-of-life teams when patients can no longer stay at home.