DESPERATE SHORTAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 50, 15 November 1946, Page 5

DESPERATE SHORTAGE

PROBLEM OF HOSPITAL. STAFF

TRAINEES URGENTLY NEEDED

“You can see the drastic position we are going to be in when these members of the staff leave,” said Dr. ,E. T. Dawson at the Hospital Board yesterday when discussing the staffing problem at the local hospital. “How we are going to get out of it, I haven’t the faintest idea. Perhaps you gentlemen may have some suggestions and if so I would certainly like to hear them!”

The matter was mentioned in the .Matron’s monthly report which stated that a number of trainees and •sisters were leaving in the near future, several to get married and others on transfer to other districts. Every effort had been made to secure staff locally without success -and' it appeared that the isolation ward would have to be closed and patients to the general hospital limited only to really serious cases, until more permanent staff was secured.

Enlarging on the serious position Dr, Dawson described the efforts which were now being made to cope with the demands of the institution, with the very limited staff at , his -disposal. There was no way out of the present position, he said other than to advertise widely as was being done by other Boards. Already an effort was being made to interest young girls leaving school to take up immediate nursing work, but he thought it wiser to go much farther afield. New staff sisters, were essential and were urgently needed —so was an afternoon supervisor, who could relieve the Matron. The whole problem was country-wide and applied to most other hospitals who Were, as could be seen by their -circulars and advertisements making tremendous efforts to attend -staff.

The secretary: “We have already advertised in Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland, but the response has been harmless.”

Referring to the closing of the isolation ward Dr. Dawson said it would mean turning out six tubercular patients, but it was quite impossible to keep it open.- The patients in the men’s ward would likewise have to be heavily curtailed. Possibly the tuberculous patients there would have to be disposed of and as the Matron had, said only the most serious cases admitted.

Mr Caulfield: Is there any Sana- , torium where the T.B. cases could he sent ?

Dr. Dawson: Not that I know of for our last enquiry to Waipukurau showed that they had no beds available and they too have an acute staff shortage. The Board decided to readvertise for trained and untrained staff in the larger centres, offering to defray the travelling expenses of applicants providing they accepted work for six months.

The question of dealing with the situation as it developed in Whakatane was likewise discussed at length and it was decided to authorise Dr. Dawson to take what emergency .measures he might consider necessary.

Mr Suckling: I would like to know if the doctor feels that there are now sufficient medical men practising in the town to treat people in their own homes. Dr. Dawson, Oh yes!