STAFF TROUBLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 239, 9 October 1935, Page 9

STAFF TROUBLES.

WAIHI HOSPITAL.

SUGGESTIONS BY, MINISTER.

LONG DISPUTE REVIEWED,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WAIHI, this day.

The following communication from the Minister of Health, Sir Alexander Young, relative to the hospital trouble at Wailii, was considered at a meeting of the Wailii Hospital Board last evening:—"The acting-Director-General of Health has placed before me the Department's papers relative to the recent trouble in connection with the Wailii Hospital staff. I am advised that inquiries received by the Department indicate that the difficulty at present being experienced ill obtaining nurses is principally due to tlie recent happenings, and particularly to the circumstances in which the medical superintendent and assistant medical superintendent tendered their resignations. If that is so, it seems possible that, for the same reason, your board will have difficulty in obtaining a suitable mcc.ical staff." ' Danger to Patients.' "It need hardly be pointed out that failure to obtain an adequate and competent nursing and medical staff is a most serious matter involving unnecessary expense, inconvenience and perhaps danger to patients. I desire, therefore, to suggest that your board gives urgent consideration to measures that will alleviate the present circumstances. "To me it appears from a perusal of the various reports that the trouble at the Waihi Hospital is largely attributable to a misunderstanding as tu whether the board or the medical superintendent had the ultimate authority in the dismissal of nurses. In the recent case the board should have accepted the recommendation of the medical superintendent. However, it did not do so, and I am bound to admit that it was within its rights in not doing so. Apparently the board heard the doctor, the matron, the nurse alleged to be incompetent and other witnesses and decided to reinstate the nurse who had been suspended. The action was clearly in accordance with by-law No. 4 of the board. "It appears to mo that an early solution of the present difficulties regarding tho- staff would be provided if a reconciliation could be cffect-cd in the viewpoints of tho board 011 the one hand and the medical superintendent and assistant medical superintendent 011 the other. If this were done there seems no reason why the two medical officers who have resigned should not resume duty at the hospital. I would ask if arrangements could bo made to have early consideration given to these observations and suggestions." Discussion by Board. Tho chairman, Mr. A. E. Robinson, remarked that the doctor did not question the board's right under rule 4, but that once the board exorcised that right , it amounted to a vote of 110 confidence in him and he had 110 option but to resign. Mr. A. E. Johnson moved that a letter read by liim should be forwarded in , reply to tho Minister. The letter reviewed tho case of the nurse who was reinstated by tho board, and pointed out that she was dismissed for insubordina- : tion and not for incompetency, and that tho former charge was the basis of the second inquiry by the board, which had , decided by six votes to three to dismiss , tho matron and reinstate the nurse. The board, tho letter continued, had carried out tho Minister's suggestion and had : met the doctor in a spirit of conciliation, • but he was sorry to say that he had insisted 011 tho resolution in question being deleted before coming to terms. Tho board, however, was not prepared 1 to do that and had informed him that his resignation still stood. The minute referring to the matter now read that "the nurse in question be reinstated" and not that "the doctor bo ordered to reinstate her." The letter concluded: "For the sake of the institution \ and the ' patients tho board appeals for your co--1 operation in obtaining a house surgeon and a nursing staff by using your pre- ' rogativo in having the ban of the British Medical Association called off." Mr. F. J. Campbell seconded the motion and suggested that it should be ' carried unanimously. After a brief discussion the motion 1 was carried by six votes to three.