DUNEDIN HOSPITAL TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13905, 2 December 1910, Page 9

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL TROUBLE.

«► A DEPARTMENTAL REPORT. (_ni*ss ...son.mo:-*: tfxegram.) DUNEDIN, December 1. The chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard has received from tho Department at Wellington tho re- ! port of Miss Mac Lean, assistant-inspee-i tor, on hor recent investigation of tlio | condition., existing at the Dutu-din _Ir_- ; pital, also tin* recommendations of tho ! Department thereon. ! In a letter forwarded with the r_i port Dr. Yaiintinc says it must bo ad- ! mitted there is room for improvement ! with regard to the nurses' dietary and j the arrangements therefor. 'Theso I facts, however, have been recognised by i tho in.xli.al superintendent ami other ; iv. pons. >!. officers, and the recoininenI datien.- oi tlie Diotarv Committee *wero j forwarded to the Hoard on tho day tho j first letter of criticism appeared in tho i "Otago Daily Times." ! Dr Valintino added :-•'• As regards tho I other charges, though hero and thero I some alterations in tho listing arI rangements are undoubtedly necessary, i tlie charges wero ill the mam grossly j exaggerated." The action of tho i junior medical officer in admitting a rei porter to one of the wards without reference to" the senior officer on duty, is held by Dr. Valintino to bo a grave hreach of discipline, and he suggests that a severe reprimand should bo administered, iinless tho Board has additional reasons for thinking he should bo moro severely dealt with. Tlie In-spector-General savs:—"*T_o doctor concerned should bo given to understand that his engagement, e_pir_ng in three inoiitlis, will not he renewed.' Dr. Valintino approves of tho suspension of tbo nurse who supplied in-* formation to a reporter, and recommends that her services should be dispensed with. -__v Miss Mac Lean's report states, wi*a reference to tho allegation as to tho number of nurses off duty through nine .3 that six out of aixty-fioven were off. "' She thinks tho nun-** % receive every kindness and consideration, and that tho amount of sjekness has been exceedingly small. She considers the statement that insufficient time is allowed for meals has no foundation in fact. She admits there has been ground lor complaint with regard to the cooking of food and serving. Tho statement that nurses have been refused leavo to visit dying relatives is, she says, entirely false. Sunday cleaning has been carried on against the matron's desire, and some of the physi- * cnl work done by nurses has been iprInddcn by tho matron. The nenod granted for holidays gave cause for dissatisfaction. . Miss "Mac Lean made recommendations for improving the cooking and for varying tho diet scale. Shio also recommended that lato leave for nursos should ho slightly extended, that the annual holidays should ho increased to three weeks, that cleaning m jno wards shbuld he done only once a oay by ward maids or nurses, that washing the painted walls should be done-by men and. not by nurses. A number of other recommendations are made ror improving tho conditions of th©_ nurses. In another letter Dr. Vahntmo says that, in regard to tho honorary staff, tho four-monthly change of duty in the , wards should he discontinued. Such a change of duty should not take place ■ more"frequently than once a year.