IMMIGRATION SCHEME FOR NURSING STAFF

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1946, Page 3

IMMIGRATION SCHEME FOR NURSING STAFF

ENGLAND SHORT OF 25,000 Answer to a suggostion from tlie I 'J'haiuos Hospital Board was reeeived liy | the Palmerston Xorth Hospital Boanl I yestenlay from the Hospital Boards ' i Association of New Zealand. The J Thames Hospital Board had suggested the emigration to New Zealand of ! young women from Kngland to train as I nurses. The Hospital Boards' Assoeiaj tion replied by circular to all boards j that the departinent 's cxperiencc was i that ly/spitals which were short statt'ed | and which could not attract 'studeiu/ i nurses, t'ell into four categories as fol1 Low: — (1) Ilospitals with unsatisfactory j working conditions; (-) hospitals wliere there was insuttieienev of local candidates for the nursing profession because of the aetual shortage of female labour within the appropriate age groups; (3) hospitals wliere very large cxpansion of hospital service had calleil for an un usuallv rapid increase in sta'll's; (4> ; hospitals which dealt with chronic I cases. "There are, however, " continued the I reply, "many hospitals in the country which still have a waiting list of candidates olfering and the (irst step in any I considcration of a jilanned emigration policy for hospital statling is tliat the hospital boards sliould e.xamine their own positions to ensure that unsatisfactory conditions which would militate against atlracting statf do not exist. Lt is fclt that it would be most undesirable that young women should be ■ brought into the country to train at hospitals wliere such unsatisfactory conditions did exist." The latest advice from Groat Brilain was that its own hospital shortage was great and that some 30,000 extra .nurses and midwives were noeded immediately, the reply stated. Further there were i also vaeaneies for over 12,000 workers S on the household stall's. Eveu in view ! of this grave position in Great Britain I tlie Governmcnt was still prepared to ! discuss with the authorities there the ■question of rclcasing a liinited number ! of girls for hospital work in New Zea j land. It was, however, essential that ! sliould such a schoyic eventuate the conditions for the girls would ' have to be such as could not bo criticised.