Shortage Of 11 p.c. In Hospital Staffs

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 21

Shortage Of 11 p.c. In Hospital Staffs

A shortage of 245 full-time staff, about 11 per cent of the total requirement of 2238.

existed at the North Canterbury Hospital Board’s institutions on March 31, says the board's annual report adopted by the board yesterday. Part-time staff were 12 over the estimated requirements, totalling 132. The board, in its 1961-62 estimates, cuts its requirements to 2218 full-time staff, but increases its part-time staff estimate slightly to 135. The shortage at March 31 included 51 nurses and 23 others at the Christchurch Hospital. 28 nurses and 27 others at the Princess Margaret Hospital, 30 nurses and 14 others at the Burwood Hospital, and 17 nurses and seven others at the Cashmere Sanatorium. The shortage of kitchen staff was especially acute, particularly of trained cooks.

"The shortage is part of something plaguing the nation as a whole,” said the chairman of the finance committee (Professor A. J. Danks).

"Estimating expenditure is very difficult. Like many other public organisations and departments, we can’t spend as much as we want to because we can’t find enough things to spend it on,” he said.

"Our accounts contain a self-correcting error. Salaries and wages are much higher than in the estimates because of the general wage increase approved during the year, but the staff shortage of more than 10 per cent, brings our expenditure back again very close to the estimates." There were still 13 vacancies for sisters in the country hospitals, and nothing further had been heard about the immigration scheme, the institutions committee reported. Relievers from the Christchurch hospital had been going to one or two of the most acute situations.

The treasurer (Mr J. J. Morgan) recommended work study or organisational

methode study to try to improve the organisation of the work of the board’s activities and, it possible, lessen the effects of the severe staff shortage.

The board should support any move to start a (gaining school for cooks, said Mrs J. E. Mackay. “It seems as if, when existing trained cooks retire, there is no-one to take their place,” Mrs Mackay said. Dr. Averill said that the question of a cooks’ training school had been discussed at the Hospital Boards’ Association’s annual meeting two years ago, but fears had been experienced that the hospital cooks trained by the school might be attracted away by wage-offers from the hotels.