The hospital offered treatment for both early and acute cases
and had an out-patient clinic. It also housed teaching and
research. The Maudsley's nursing staff included a matron, assistant
matron, six sisters and 19 staff nurses with at least three years'
general hospital training, supported by 23 probationers and 12 male
nurses. The Maudsley had a good reputation for training nurses and
some applicants even traveled overseas to train there.
A report (held at Bethlem's Archives and Museum) from a nurse
who trained at the Maudsley shows some of the work of a new
trainee: "Apart from observation and simple treatment,
nurses are trained in special investigations and therapy. They
carry out many of the routine psychometric tests, help as
technicians in the ward laboratories, and are instructors in
occupational therapy".
The 1920s and 30s saw a significant growth in the number of
patients treated at the Maudsley Hospital. Originally, there was no
provision for the treatment of children and the rapid growth in
this patient population was unforeseen. In 1928, a child guidance
clinic was set up under the directorship of Dr William Moodie, the
deputy medical superintendent.
The Children's Department was promoted as an example of the
value of teamwork with psychiatrists to diagnose and to prescribe,
psychologists for mental testing, social workers to deal with the
environmental side and voluntary workers to observe the activities
of the children in the play room. The demand for these services led
to the construction of a dedicated building where children were
seen as outpatients. In 1947 a dedicated inpatient unit for
children was opened.
Henry Maudsley was committed to psychiatric research, and the
hospital incorporated the Central Pathological Laboratory
transferred from Claybury Asylum. Although the hospital initially
struggled to secure funding from the Medical Research Council, in
1938, the Rockefeller Foundation made a substantial award to
support research and education and the Maudsley has been an
internationally renowned centre for research ever since.
