HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 36, 11 October 1946, Page 5

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

WHAKATANE BOARD MEETING STAFFING POSITION IMPROVES Mr J. Mullins presided over the October meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board yesterday. Present Messrs. H. C. McCready, F. Burt, C. A. Suckling, J. P. Caulfield, A. F. McGougan, Dr. E. T. Dawson (Medical Superintendent) and the secretary, Mr F. Prideaux. Reporting for the visiting committee Mr Caulfield stated that he had heard no complaints at all from patients all of whom appeared to be well satisfied. Mr F. Burt remarked on the bright appearance of the grounds at present and congratulated the gardeners. The chairman mentioned that the staffing position was how much better and he hoped to see many of the problems which had confronted the Board in the past, solved in future. The Matron’s, Engineers and Storeman-Porter’s reports were read and adopted. Shoes For Nurses

From the Department of Health, a letter informed the Board that it was now proposed to provide nurses with a free issue of two pairs of duty shoes and six pairs of white lisle stockings annually. The Department requested that these be supplied forthwith. The secretary stated that he estimated the cost of the new allocation to be approximately £5 10s per head.

The question as to whether the issue applied to the whole of the nursing staff—sisters, trainees aids and maternity trainees, was discussed at some length and it was finally decided to write, the Department requesting clarification of the word ‘Nurse’ as far as the new issue applied. Domestic Workers Claims The Hospital Boards Association wrote notifying that the Domestic Workers’ Union would be making fresh claims at a sitting of the Arbitration Court on October 20. The Board was asked to forward any comments which would be helpful at the hearing. Extracts of the claims showed that time and a half was asked for all Saturday work and double time for Sunday work. All national holidays to be observed and full pay, dental and medical treatment to be given. The letter was received. Remits For Conference

Remits for presentation at the forthcoming Hospital Board Conference were put forward by Mr Suckling who moved that an effort be made to standardise the period of sick leave granted by all Boards throughout the Dominion. Mr Burt again pressed his earlier contenton that an effort be made to establish district nurses in all the smaller country centres with a free dispensary for prescribing for simple complaints. This method he claimed would relieve the congestion in the hospitals, where every one with a cut finger went nowadays under Social Security. In most districts, he said, there were ex nurses who would willingly take on such work for a consideration and the benefits would be enormous. - The chaii’man who is the Board’s delegate promised to bring both matters forward.