Rosalie Dreyer

Rosalie Dreyer was born on 3 September 1895 in Bern, Switzerland to Elisabeth (née Neuenschwander) and Johann Dreyer. She was the oldest of four daughters and her father managed a dairy co-operative. Though Lutheran, after receiving her basic education from a school run by Catholic nuns, Dreyer traveled to England in 1914 as a nanny to a Swiss family who had settled abroad. In 1934, Dreyer became a naturalized British citizen. == Early nursing career ==

Dreyer entered nurse training in 1918 at Guy's Hospital of London and earned her state registration certificate in 1922. Dreyer worked for a year as private nurse before returning to Switzerland in 1923 to work at the Rollier Clinic, a tubercular hospital in Leysin. She returned to England in 1924 and resumed work at Guy's Hospital, qualifying as a midwife in 1926 and working in a number of staff nurse and sister posts. In 1931 she was appointed assistant matron to matron Emily MacManus CBE, a noted leader of the nursing profession. ==Later Nursing Career==

In 1934 Dreyer was appointed matron for Bethnal Green Hospital, a municipal hospital under the administrated of the London County Council (LCC). and was described at the time as the 'largest municipal hospital organisation in the world'. Up until 1929 these hospitals had been workhouses under the Poor law Guardians. World War II At the outbreak of World War II in 1940, Dreyer was promoted to principal matron in charge This committee made recommendations on the training and qualifications of a new the assistant nurse (later known as the enrolled nurse), recruitment of nurses and education for registered nurses. Dreyer introduced training for assistant nurses into LCC hospitals in 1942 on the model recommended by the Horder Committee. In 1943 the Minister for Health, Ernest Brown, appointed Dreyer to the Assistant Nurses Committee of the General Nursing Council Dreyer's managerial skills in leading large scale nursing services in war were widely recognized and utilised in other arenas. In 1943 She was appointed to the Colonial Office's Committee of inquiry into the training of nurses to work in the British Colonies;chairman Lord Rushcliffe. In 1944 she was appointed to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration Committee to advise on problems of demands for nurses for relief work in the territories of Europe as they were liberated. 1948 onwards In 1948 the National Health Service (NHS) was created, taking all voluntary and municipal funded hospitals into its administration. Local Authorities retained administration only of their domiciliary and community health services:including district nurses and midwives, health visitors and school nurses. At a public event at County Hall to mark the commencement of the NHS, Herbert Morrison, then leader of the LCC, singled Dreyer out for special tribute. From 1950-53 Dreyer worked as the World Health Organisation's advisor in Europe, advising on the reconstruction of nursing services. She continued her senior level involvement with London NHS hospitals through appointments to their boards of management: South West Middlesex Hospital (1950–1958); Stepney Hospital (1952–64); Lewisham Hospital (1955-74, including as vice-chairman 1967-74 ). Throughout her career, Dreyer was a life member of the RCN and was president of the South East London branch. ==Death and legacy==

Dreyer died from a brain tumor on 21 May 1987 at her home in Wimbledon, London. She is noted, along with her predecessor, Bannon, as a pioneer in creating the public-funded nursing service in Britain. == References ==