"We do care": health service view

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 294, 11 July 1989, Page 4

"We do care": health service view

I read with interest your article in Our View, Bulletin of last week, where you expressed disappointment having received no response to an earlier article on Public Health care for Waimarino. My understanding of your article is that you were praising the Manager and her staff for their ability to handle and put proposal forward how health care should work in our district and what is best for the people of Waimarino - even though the people of Waimarino have not been approached to discuss and re-view the changes which will effect the community. Am I right in my understanding ??? If so, then the Area Health Board should have, if they have a genuine interest in our community, called a series of public meetings in the early stages and enlightened the Waimarino people of what's going to happen to their hospital. Waimarino people are already aware of the down grading of the services at their hospital, latest being - for example doing away with a handyman/ambulance man and replacing him with an

ambulance officer. Result being no man power at the hospital to help the nursing staff and other female staff with heavy lifting etc. Lack of manpower is very visible, you only need to look at the state of the main entrance where the accumulation of green moss (which did not grow overnight) in the concrete is flourishing and unsightly.

J

Seaman

Promotion thanks I have been directed by my Committee to convey their thanks to the Ruapehu Bulletin for the very professional, informative and comprehensive article appearing in the Bulletin on Tuesday 27 June 1989. At a time when the Ruapehu District badly needs as much publicity as it can get your efforts on my Committee's behalf by a very small and dedicated staff is thoroughly appreciated. Is is sad to say that the efforts by a few people representing a great many people in the Ruapehu South district is not appreciated. Indeed, in a great many cases it is not even known. Now, thanks to

the fine efforts by the staff of the Ruapehu Bulletin the efforts of this Committee may be wider known and better appreciated. Again, our very grateful thanks for a fine job well done.

Don

Hancock

Secretary, Ruapehu South Business Association Seminar bill? While visiting our local hospital and wanting to speak to the Manager, I was told she was busy holding a seminar for 12 enrolled nurses from Base hospital and three from Waimarino hospital. The 12 nurses from Base hospital travelled

to Raetihi in a hired van. As the Waimarino hospital is placed on a budget by the Wanganui Area Health Board and is not a training school who meets the cost of the above seminar?

"Curious"

One day off It looks like working

staffs have finally met their match; browsing through a newspaper recently, I came across this article - apparently one boss had had it with employees asking for days off. This was his reply: "So you want the day off. Let's take a look at what you are asking for. "There are 365 days per year available for work. There are 52

weeks per year in which you already take 2 days off per week, leaving 261 days left for work. You spend 16 hours each day away from work which adds up to 170 days, leaving only 91 days available. You spend 30 minutes each day on tea breaks which accounts for 23 days each year, adds up to 46 days, leaving only 22 days available for work. Allowing five statutory holidays per year,

this leaves just 17 days for work. Take off another two days - the two you spend on sick leave, and we're down to 15 working days. You're generously given two weeks paid holidays per year which leaves only one day available for work and I'll be damned of you're going to take that day off!!!

One of the working class