'No man, not even a doctor, ever gives any other definition of what a nurse should be than this - 'devoted and obedient.' This definition would do just as well for a porter. It might even do for a horse. It would not do for a policeman."

So wrote Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the matron of all nurses, in her Notes For Nursing (first published 1859) which formed the basis for the training of nurses in Britain.

Who more devoted and better qualified than she to found the world's first school for nurses?

As the duties and responsibilities of nurses increased, the knowledge and principles learned at the school were carried forwarded into the 20th century. A hierarchical structure: auxiliary, student nurse, staff nurse, ward sister and matron evolved, and continued until the early Seventies, when matrons were declared obsolete. This decision proved bad for nursing, and led to a lowering of morale and standards of discipline, efficiency and cleanliness in hospitals.

When matrons ran hospitals and made morning rounds, everything on the wards had to be tickety-boo. Patients had to be sitting or lying tidily in bed, ready to be examined; there would be no dust, bits of food or old dressings under the beds; lockers were clutter-free beds immaculate and details of temperature, pulse and bowel movements were meticulously recorded in readiness for the doctors' rounds.

Visiting hours were organised for the convenience of the staff and what was considered in the best interests of the patients. Visitors, limited to two at a time and not accompanied by young children, were not permitted to sit on patients' beds, nor were they allowed to put their coats or bags on the beds.

Raised voices and undue noise drew a reproach from the ward sister, and a bell reminded visitors when to leave.

Because of the disappearance of matrons, the increased workload and responsibility placed on all hospital staff, and the use of contract cleaners, standards, naturally, began to decline.

The National Health Service management is now harking back to the days when matrons ruled and everything was OK. So we may soon see matrons appointed to all hospitals. If this is done and they are again empowered to run their hospitals like "tight ships," then standards and conditions must ultimately improve for patients and staff.

On a lighter note, regarding Florence Nightingale's reference to policemen: about 20 per cent of Birmingham's policemen marry nurses. No, it's nothing to do with coinciding shifts or professional liaisons, it's all to do with Policemen's Balls - nurses are given free tickets.

Tardy tradesmen and deliverymen have been getting bad press lately. Deservedly so, when both members of a living together partnership are out working all day and have to make special arrangements for one of them to stay at home to await deliverymen or repairmen, who are often late and sometimes don't arrive at all.

My recent experience with repairmen has been happier. Our gas central heating timer died of old age, so I rang British Gas and asked if they would attend before lunchtime. They agreed, and a fitter arrived promptly at noon, replaced the timer in ten minutes and didn't even take time out for a coffee.

Then our bathroom's ageing loo cistern started to play up, so I made a quick phone call to our reasonable and reliable plumber. "When would you like Jim to call?" asked his wife. "Between 10am and noon, please," I replied.

Jim arrived at 10am to inspect the job, went away to collect the necessary parts, returned in minutes and completed the work within an hour.

Perhaps we're lucky, but I like to think that we pick the right people for a job, and if they let us down without good reason, we don't call them again. It's the best way to deal with poor service providers - try it.