HOSPITAL AUXILIARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 12

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY.

ADDIIESS BY ALMONER. An interesting address on her duties as almoner at the Palmerston North Hospital was given by Aliss iv. Spensley at the monthly meeting of the Hospital Auxiliary. Airs AL Aitchison presided, also present being Mesdames W Aloitldev. F. Bennett, J. Barsanti, R. 1). Spraggon, W. H. Richardson, Saunders. Stone, F. J. Nathan, Aliss Clark and Airs S. J- Parkos (lion, secretary). Alembers stood in silence as a. mark of respect- to the late Prime Minister (lit. Hon. AL J. Savage). A circular letter was read from, the secretary of the Divisional Recruiting Committee, soliciting cooperation in stimulating recruiting in this area and asking for representatives I_o be appointed to the committee. —Airs S. J. l’arkes was appointed as delegate. A letter was before tbo meeting from Aliss- M. Jones, general secretary of the Palmerston North A .V, .C.A.. expressing the appreciation of her hoard for the co-operation of the auxiliary in the table-setting competition. Thanks were conveyed to Ales dames AYilson and Fry for preparing the soldiers’ table, which had gained fourth place. Donations were gratefully acknowledged from the Berry Engineering C 0.7 ’£l Is. and Aliss Paisley, ns. Several letters of thanks for gifts of clothing to. needv eases were received. Explaining that she desired to show bow tbo work of an almoner required tbo co-operation of various social organisations, Government departments and others who were working to the same end as the hospital system namely, the improvement in the general health and well-being of the community—Aliss Spenslcy said that the term ‘almoner’ was not used in the sense of a giver of charity. The almoner was an officer whose duty it was to endeavour to ensure that the maximum result was achieved from tlie treatment afforded by all those persons engaged in the active treatment of the patient, whose duty it also was to see that the facilities provided were appreciated and used to die best advantage. The almoner came into the English hospital scheme as sut-li about 40 years ago, Aliss Spenslcy continued, when the first almoners were appointed in London. The object at that time was to ensure that the best use was made ol the available hospital accommodation and to endeavour to assist, with problems which arose when patients were due to leave hospital but bad no suitable place to go to, or, on the other hand to assist certain types of patients in securing earlier treatment.. . Trom this beginning a system oi training almoners as hospital social workers was developed in England and in more recent years the system had been extended. '! bere was a school lot almoners at the present time in Melbourne and the speaker gave a list ol its functions. , _ , Some months ago, the Palmerston North Hospital Board decided on the appointment ol an officer ior this work, Aliss Spenslcy continued, and this was the first appointment in New Zealand where a trained nurse had been chosen as a hospital almoner. A\ ith the end in view that persons taking over these positions should be” trained nurses prior to tnkj n ,r up almoners’ work, the Department of Health had this year commenced a course oi specialised training i for suitable nurses. Though a few boards were pioneering this work in New Zealand, it seemed quite certain that within the next two or three years every hospital of over HX) boils would have an almoner attached to the stall, lli conclusion Miss Spenslcy outlined the practical results she hoped to achieve and intimated her desire for co-operation and assistance from the Women’s Hospital Auxiliaij.

When egpss are either dear or scarce, a<ld a. dessertspoon of vinegar and just one egg to a large plain cake, for which usually three eggs would be required'.