CHRISTMAS CHEER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20124, 19 December 1939, Page 2

CHRISTMAS CHEER

BOARD MEMBERS’ CAKE COMPLIMENTS FROM STAFF cook' hospital meeting LAST GATHERING OF 1939

Members of- the- Gook Hospital Board at their monthly meeting yesterday afternoon received from the staff of'the hospital a graceful and substantial compliment in the form of a large Christmas cake, inscribed..with a message of seasonable greetings: The compliment was warmly acknowledged and returned by the board, tfie chairman expressing the hope that the Christmas and New Year season would be a happy one for medical, nursing, clerical and domes-, tic staffs, and as full of good cheer as possible for patients in the wards, Those present at the meeting were Mr. M; T. Trafford, chairman, Mesdames A. E. Beer and E; R. Scott, and Messrs. H. Adair, F. G. Bellerby, S. T. Gray, 31. Cooper, G. D. Muirhead, and H. .T. F. Tombleson. The Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. \Vatt, notified the ..board of Ministerial’ approval having been given to its.loan proposals of, £9400 for building purposes. A recommendation that trainingschool matrons should attend a conference to be held'in Wellington-on December 19 was forwarded by the Director-General of Health. The finance committee reported that Miss G. M. Leipst, lady superintendent, be permitted to attend the conference. Nurses’ Home Fire Alarm System The installation of an automatic fire alarm system as an essential requirement for the new nurses’ home was referred;-* to in a letter from the Director-General of -.Health, in reply to an inquiry from the board. The managing-secretary, Mr. C. A. Harries, stated that the installation would cost nearly £loo.—The chairman said that there was now no question of escaping the obligation laid down by the department. " Another letter from, tile Health Department advised the board to seek information from its insurance company regarding protection against claims arising out of mishaps occurring as a result of the employment of V.A.D.S in the wards.—Mr. Harries reported that he had taken the matter up with the insurance company, and had been, assured that the board was protected. A request for nursing assistance during the annual leave of the district nurse at Bartletts was received, and it was arranged that it be granted if possible. Disposal of Laundry Appliances An inquiry for particulars of a laundry press and mangle now being discarded from the hospital laundry was reported on, the inquirer being the Bay of Islands Hospital Board. Moderate prices had been fixed, the managing-secretary reported. The manager of the hospital farm reported on ; tests of a stripping machine installed on trial in the farm milkshed. The farm committee, on this report, recommended the purchase of the machine. The recommendation was accepted. The finance committee recommended a grant of £l2 for Christmas festivities in the various institutions, and approved special allowances of £2 each to four inmates of the Memorial Home who had given assistance in the garden and grounds. The treasurer, Mr. C. A. Harries, reported that receipts for November were £2715, of which £1647 came from the Social Security Department and £276 from, the Health Department by way of subsidies on levies. The outlay for the month was £4917; Fees charged during the month comprised £1596 claimed from the Social Security Department, and £224 claimed from other boards. Fewer Patients in November The medical officer, Dr. R; J. B. Hall; reported that the number of patients in the Cook- Hospital had fallen from 162 to 148 during November, 16 of those in the wards at the end of the month being infectious cases. Nine babies were born in the Cook Maternity Annexe during the nionth. Owing to the illness of Dr. Christie. JDr. R. Burnard had been relieving on the staff. ■ ■ Sister G. M. Leipst, lady superintendent, reported that Sister Lane and Nurse Kudland were on annual leave, Sister Hart, and Nurses Tyerman, Nattrass and Church had returned from annual leave. Nurse Warner and Miss Ratcliff had been on sick leave. Resignations’ for November comprised Sister. Hart, Staff-Nurses Brand and Vipond, Nurses Ensor, E. Tully, Armstrong and Byrne. The junior medical and- surgical examination Was held on November 23 with Dr.'A. L. Singer as examiner, all’ candidates being successful. A written examination for V.A.D.s was held on December 1, the paper being set by Miss G. M. Leipst and Sister Morton, all candidates securing passes. Nursing Staff Resignations The lady superintendent acknowledged gifts of reading matter from Mesdames Scott, L. H. Maclean, and I. C. Davis, and two anonymous donorsr “I notice that there are seven mem- . bers of the nursing staff terminating their appointments in the hospital,”

said Mrs. Beer, who asked whether there was any special reason for these many defections. The chairman stated that the total number was now 10.

The medical superintendent said that all but one of the nurses concerned had completed their training. He did not think that conditions of employment or accommodation were aftecting the number of- resignations. The board received a supplementary report from the lady superintendent recommending appointments to replace senior members of the staff ; whose resignations were received.

The custodian of the Memorial Home, Mr. S. W. Garley, reported that on November 30 there were 33 men and 10 women in the institution, the general health being very satisfactory. A visit by a party from the singing circle of the Townswomen’s Guild, arranged by Mrs. P. Barry, was recorded by the custodian, the occasion having been taken by the visitors to distribute sweets and cigarettes. Walking sticks and magazines had been forwarded to the home by Mrs. T. E. Toneycliffe.

The' farm manager reported that receipts for November totalled £179 11s 6d, and expenditure £59 12s Id, the excess of income being £ll9 19s sd.

Sister Pritchard, district nurse at Matawai, reported having treated and advised 69 patients and paid 97 visits during the month. All the reports were adopted.