HOSPITAL THEATRE . PROBLEM

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28890, 9 May 1959, Page 11

HOSPITAL THEATRE . PROBLEM

Shortage Of Trained Staff | 'New Zealana Press Association) f

DUNEDIN. May fi. 1 A shortage of trained operating- ’ theatre staff is a problem at hoapftals in Dunedin. With th* • supervising sister leaving 1 tomorrow Dunedin Hospital is five 1 theatre sisters short. I

The shortage also extends tc Wakari Hospital and according tc * the medical superintendent al * Dunedin. Dr. J. Cleminson, the " problem affects hospitals all over 0 New Zealand.

"We are advertising all the time J but without result. It is planned * however, to see what can be done 5 by advertising positions in B Britain.” ’

Asked what affect the shortage was having Dr. Cleminson said B it meant that the existing staff had * to work harder. There was. he 1 added, a slight slowing down in the rate of non urgent operations bu< “anything urgent that needs dolnf gets done.” The shortage of trained theatre staff came to the attention of the Otago Hospital Board at its las meeting when Mrs E. E. McMillan M.P., said that because the wattim list of patients tor surgical treatment which was not urgent had ’■ climbed from 834 cases in Augus " of last year to 1179 cases in March ;’j it was a good move to try te recruit trained staff from over- ' ’ seas J

With the new nursing curriculum there were larger numbers of girls coming forward tc study for the profession. Shi hoped it would be possible to fil the positions with local girls k a few years.