Seamen's Hospital Society 'Dreadnought'

[Phil Hughes]

In May 1991 a sister from the Dreadnought hospital received an award at Harrogate together in anther ceremony conducted immediately after another 5 merchant seamen were also presented with the Numast award. I beleive this was the first time this award had been presented as was totally new. She has the distinction to be the first woman to have received. I have a copy of the article somewhere but after decorating things haven’t gone back in their correct places. So when I do find will post her name and particulars. I beleive the next award whenever it was
2 year or 4 years later was to the Canadian shipping minister , this is not positive because I lost touch and Numast I beleive disappeared to Holland. The dreadnought was still going in 1991 but don’t know anymore about it since. JS

I think you'll find that the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital was at Greenwich by the National Maritime Museum but with the decline in our M.N. it was closed to save money and we were given a M.N. Ward in St. Thomas' Hospital opposite the Houses of Parliament, sadly I believe that M.N. Ward no longer exists. The Greenwich site is now part of the University of Greenwich.
Phil Hughes. R698842

[j.sabourn]

#19 if I had looked back to the original of this post and looked at the replies would have seen have already answered my own question, the sister was a Phil Lake a female so assume her full Christian name must have been something like Philomena. One should look before one leaps I suppose or keep quiet , probably memory is worse than I thought. Cheers JS

[Peter Thomson]

I believe now John it's called Nautilus I have after 30 years in a non seafaring occupation having finally given up going to see in 1986 have just received a grant from them for a disabled bathroom and Nautilus International as far as I'm concerned the sun shines out of their backside

Good on you, Rob,

Nautilus run the Mariners' Park residential and Care Home at Wallasey, where I and my wife now live. Unfortunately the sun is not shining on the bungalows, apartment buildings and Care Home that make up the park today - but it's' shining inside.
Glad to hear you have been fixed up for your needs. Best Wishes.

[Valerie Pratt]

I believe that the Dreadnought Hospital is closed and seafarers are now admitted to St Thomas Hospital in London

[Peter Gill]

The Dreadnought unit does still exist. M Notice 370 refers:
It is available at St Thomas' as follows:
2.1 Active seafarers who are resident in the UK, including fishing vessel personnel, pilots, cadets, those in the towage industry and shipping company shore staff essential to the function of the fleet are all eligible to be considered for elective priority treatment through the Dreadnought service. Seafarer’s dependents may also be eligible where the illness of a seafarer’s spouse or child is such as to cause the seafarer grave concern. Retired seafarers will be considered but will not normally be entitled to receive priority treatment. The service has a designated administrator, who should be contacted for advice in the case of any query about eligibility or other information (see Section 5 for details).

2.2 A wide range of medical and surgical services are available. In addition to medical treatments, dental treatment can also be provided, a “one-stop” hernia service is available and in certain circumstances, female seafarers can have access to the hospital’s gynaecological services. Although cardiac surgery is included, there is no priority given to seafarers. As the service operates within the NHS, there is no charge for UK resident seafarers.

I used it myself about twenty years ago to have various spots on my face removed. I went in and was seen within an hour, operated on within the hour after that!!!! Now that was some service.