Steps taken to solve nursing problems

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 4

Steps taken to solve nursing problems

Steps to bring an early resolution to the problem of nursing shortages at The Princess Margaret Hospital and the Christchurch Hospital were taken yesterday. At a meeting between the southern regional officer of the Nurses’ Association (Mrs Edna Thomas) and represen- i tatives of the North Canterbury Hospital Board the < nurses’ grievances over ] staffing problems and the effects on patients of financial < cut backs were discussed. < The board agreed to main- i tain a continuing in- < vestigation into the pressures on nursing,staff. It also 1 agreed to a meeting on July ; 23 between Mrs Thomas, c representatives of the nurses 5 at both hospitals, and repre- ( sentatives of the board.

The meeting will take place after the presentation of a report on the problems facing nurses in the board’s area which the board has asked its principal nursing officer (Miss Brenda Brankin) to prepare. 7 ? Mrs Thomas said after

yesterday’s meeting that the board was concerned about the pressures nursing staff were under and it was doing everything possible to have the situation resolved. “The outcome of the meeting I regard as favourable because they have listened to me as a representative of those nurses who are coping directly with the staffing problem,” she said. The board representatives at the meeting were the chairman (Mr T. C. Grigg), Miss . Brankin, the ‘ chief executive (Mr R. L Parker), the acting medical superin-tendent-in-chief (Dr D. A. Andrews), and the chairman of the board’s health services committee (Mrs J. Gardiner). • ’Mr Parker said that the

board was proud of the way staff were coping, and was aware of the problems under which they were working. “We are going to do everything'' possible to . resolve these and this will involve continuing discussions,’.'he said. .' >