between 1935 and 1938 the hospital was expanded to provide 933 beds and in 1938 it was renamed st. ebba's hospital. by the late 1940s, some 95–97% of patients at the hospital had been admitted voluntarily and in 1948 the hospital joined the national health service as part of the south west metropolitan regional board. unlike the other hospitals in the epsom cluster, patients continued to be admitted from all of the london metropolitan regions, except for the north west. in 1949 an adolescent unit was established for patients aged between 12–17 years and at the same time an occupational therapy department opened: able-bodied patients worked in the laundry and workshops, while those too ill to leave the wards practised handicrafts. patients could also attend discussion groups and classes in music appreciation, art, drama, dancing and dress-making or produce plays, make use of the social club or even contribute to 'trees' the hospital's own weekly magazine.