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This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.
This book tells the story of Barbara Robb and her pressure group, Aid for the Elderly in Government Institutions (AEGIS). In 1965, Barbara visited 73-year-old Amy Gibbs in a dilapidated and overcrowded National Health Service psychiatric hospital back-ward. She was so appalled by the low standards that she set out to make improvements. Barbara's book Sans Everything: A case to answer was publicly discredited by a complacent and self-righteous Ministry of Health. However, inspired by her work, staff in other hospitals 'whistle-blew' about events they witnessed, which corroborated her allegations. Barbara influenced government policy, to improve psychiatric care and health service complaints procedures, and to establish a hospitals' inspectorate and ombudsman. The book will appeal to campaigners, health and social care staff and others working with older people, and those with an interest in policy development in England, the 1960s, women's history and the history of psychiatry and nursing.
List of contents
1. Introduction: A strange eventful history.- 2. Psychiatric hospitals and older people: status quo or making changes?.- 3. Barbara Robb, Amy Gibbs and the 'Diary of a Nobody'.- 4. Establishing AEGIS and writing Sans Everything: 'the case' and 'some answers'.- 5. Reprinted before publication: plotting a route for Sans Everything.- 6. The inquiries: a lion's den.- 7. Whitewash and after: 'Most good is done by stealth'.- 8. Then and now: concluding remarks.
About the author
Claire Hilton has been a National Health Service psychiatrist in London, UK, for 18 years. Her research has ranged from mental health of young people with sickle cell disease in Jamaica to clinical and historical aspects of old age psychiatry with a particular interest in the interface between history, policy and practice.
Summary
Explores the influence of AEGIS as a pressure group in improving care for older people in psychiatric hospitals, unlike other histories that attribute these improvements to the governmentOffers a much-needed account of the experiences of older women, and other vulnerable people, on psychiatric wards
Highlights the ongoing relevance of AEGIS’s campaign today and how this history can inform current debate on chronic care for older people
Additional text
“Claire Hilton’s book brings to life the story of a remarkable woman’s crusade to improve services for older people in the 60’s and 70’s. … Anyone working with older people or anyone interested in the history of services for vulnerable will find this book a fascinating book with useful insights to help improve future services.” (Anitha Howard, Old Age Psychiatrist, Issue 70, January, 2018)
“Buy the hardcopy to treasure, to read and to share with others. It tells the story of a talented woman whose original ambition was frustrated by injury. … We learn of the reluctance of the establishment to believe her and other witnesses … . It is here and needs to be read, loud and clear so that we can register a proper appreciation of what Barbara Robb did.” (Susan Mary Benbow, oldermindmatters.com, November, 2017)
“This is a book that is essential reading for those interested in the history and development of psychiatric and learningdisability practice. … a goldmine of references that will provide on-going reading for researchers and students. It is well written with an engaging style. … This is a book for everyone working in health and social care services. It is also a book for the general public and those who are interested in wider social issues.” (Ibadete Fetahu, Nursing Times, nursingtimes.net, October, 2017)
Report
"Claire Hilton's book brings to life the story of a remarkable woman's crusade to improve services for older people in the 60's and 70's. ... Anyone working with older people or anyone interested in the history of services for vulnerable will find this book a fascinating book with useful insights to help improve future services." (Anitha Howard, Old Age Psychiatrist, Issue 70, January, 2018)
"Buy the hardcopy to treasure, to read and to share with others. It tells the story of a talented woman whose original ambition was frustrated by injury. ... We learn of the reluctance of the establishment to believe her and other witnesses ... . It is here and needs to be read, loud and clear so that we can register a proper appreciation of what Barbara Robb did." (Susan Mary Benbow, oldermindmatters.com, November, 2017)
"This is a book that is essential reading for those interested in the history and development of psychiatric and learningdisability practice. ... a goldmine of references that will provide on-going reading for researchers and students. It is well written with an engaging style. ... This is a book for everyone working in health and social care services. It is also a book for the general public and those who are interested in wider social issues." (Ibadete Fetahu, Nursing Times, nursingtimes.net, October, 2017)
