HOSPITAL STAFFING PROBLEM

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23941, 7 May 1943, Page 4

HOSPITAL STAFFING PROBLEM

TELEGRAM SENT TO HEALTH

DEPARTMENT

The local Manpower Officer had been most assiduous in his endeavours to procure staff, and having impressed them into the service, he could not prevent them “fleeing during the night" to parts unknown, said the secretary (Mr Powell) of the Buffer Hospital Board yesterday when commenting on the decision of the hospital staff to “walk off the job,” as others had done, if remedial measures were not taken to relieve the staffing shortage. The reason given by the staff for the shortage was the alleged impotency of the manpower service to prevent defections or take action against those who. having been dropped into this essential industry, were allowed to default. Mr Powell said that the board had requested that two of the levanters be prosecuted, but there had been insufficient time for this to be done. Some time ago the board was advised that the Health Department was creating a nursing reserve for emergency purposes. but so far there had not been any intimation that the staff would be reinforced from this or any other source,

The position was discussed on Wednesday by the chairman of the Buffer Hospital Board (the Hon. W. H. McIntyre), the Medical Superintendent (Dr, P. L. Foote), the secretary (Mr Powell), and the matron of the hospital, and the following telegram was sent to the Health Department: “Shortage of staff acute. Two nurses have left without permission and two others will leave. One sister on sick leave, holidays and days off are overdue,” It was agreed that hospital visiting hours should be curtailed from 2 to 3 p.m. daily to three days a week, and that in cases where attention could be deferred should not be admitted. Evening visits to patients have been limited to husbands only.