The following Regulations for VADs were donated by Nancy Gaynor, of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.
1.--Selected nursing members must be thoroughly recommended as in every way suitable to be employed in the Wards of Military Hospitals, and must be willing to be so employed under the following conditions.
2.-They will be required to work under fully trained Nurses, and will be under the direct control of the Officer in charge and the Matron of the Hospital in which employed. Their duties will be similar to those carried out by probationers in Civil Hospitals. These include sweeping, dusting polishing of brasses, cleaning of ward tables and patients' lockers, cleaning of ward sinks and ward utensils, washing of patients' crockery and sorting of linen. These, and any nursing duties which they are considered qualified to perform, will be allotted to them by the Matron of the Hospital. (A.C.I. 1244 of 1916)
3.-They must be between 21 and 48 years of age for Home Service, and 23 and 42 for Foreign Service.
4.-They will be required to live in quarters provided by the Nursing Staff of the Military Hospitals, under the control and supervision of the Matron.
5.-They will be required to adhere strictly to the Time Tables in force in the Military Hospitals, and to the Regulations and Standing Orders for the Services, so far as such orders concern them. (Q.A.I.M.N.S. and T.F.N.S.)
6.- They will wear the washing uniform of their detachments at all times when on duty.
7. - The Uniform Allowance of paid V.A.D. nursing members employed in Military Hospitals will in future be issuable at the rate of £2 10s. 0d. half-yearly, instead of £2 as at present. The allowance will be issuable in advance at the beginning of each six months' engagement (i.e. no allowance will be issuable in respect of the month's probationary service. The first issue of the increased rate will be made, in the case of ladies at present serving, from the first day of their next six months' of service. Any member breaking her engagement within six months of its commencement will be required to refund £1 5s. f the allowance. (A.C.I. 519 of 1917)
8.-They will be appointed for one month on probation; at the expiration of this time, if recommended by the Matron for further service, they will be required to sign an agreement to serve for six months or the duration of the War, at home or abroad, as required. Their salary shall be at the rate of £20 per annum; and all probationers who, on completion of their current agreement, enter immediately on a subsequent term of six months' employment, are to be paid at the rate of £22 10s per annum from the first day of the further term of employment.
Probationers who sign an agreement to serve for so long as required will be eligible for further increment of £2 10s each half year until they reach the maximum rate of £30 per annum, the first increment taking effect six months after the date on which they become entitled to £22 10s. per annum. Only continuous service will reckon toward this increment of pay, i.e., probationers who return to civil life within the completion of one period of service and the beginning of another will not be allowed to count any service given before their temporary return to civil life. (A.C.I. 2306 of 1914)
9.-The engagement of Voluntary Aid Detachment members will be terminated at any time if found unfit in any respect for service.
10.-Leave will be granted as follows:--
During the first six months = = = = = 7 days
During the second six months = = = = 14 days
This will be taken as and when the exigencies of the service permit. (A.C.I. 970 of 1916)
11.-Travelling.-A first class railway warrant is sent to nursing members proceeding to a Military Hospital.
Members receive their fare home on termination of contract, but are not entitled to their travelling expenses home
if they leave before the completion of their contract, except in cases where the engagement is terminated by the
Hospital Authorities. Members are entitled to return fare home at the end of their months' probation only if, in
the opinion of the Hospital Authorities, the member is not fitted, either by health, temperament, or any other
reason, for Hospital duties. If a member's departure is due to misconduct, or if she leaves at her own wish, she
is not entitled to a ticket. Members proceeding on leave may, at the discretion of the Matron, be granted a Travelling
Concession voucher, which entitles them to the double journey at single fare.
NOTE.-Unless there is any exceptionally good reason for their not doing so, members are expected to renew their
contract in the Hospital to which they have been appointed, if asked to do so by the Matron.
Much time, money and energy are wasted moving to the restless manner in which members move from one Hospital to another every six or seven months. It is exceedingly difficult to Matrons if their V.A.D. probationers are continually changing. Members renewing their contracts have just as good a chance of being sent abroad by the Matron-in-Chief as they would if they were on the books of Devonshire House.
Hospital Ships and Ambulance Trains are not staffed by Devonshire House.
DEVONSHIRE HOUSE KATHARINE FURSE
J.W. 1917.