Government funds for nursing

Press, 10 September 1984, Page 4

Government funds for nursing

PA Wellington The Government would provide special funding for hospital boards next year to support a substantial improvement in nursing staff, said the Minister of Health, Dr Michael Bassett, yesterday. Releasing the report of a Committee of Inquiry into issues surrounding a big staffing dispute at Cherry Farm Hospital, near Dunedin, Dr Bassett said he would await comments on it before taking further action. The report presented a challenge to the nursing profession, which must bridge the gap between psychiatric nurses, the rest of the nursing profession, and industrial bodies to adopt a more positive approach during a time of change. "Hospital boards must encourage nurses to improve their qualifications and nursing knowledge, and the general public need to re-

cognise the valuable contribution psychiatric nursing makes to our society,” he said.

The report was comprehensive and would be used as a springboard for positive and constructive action in psychiatric care, Dr Bassett sail

"Psychiatric nurses present a special case, as they could be disadvantaged as psychiatric services are developed in conjunction with. general hospital services.” The dispute at Cherry Farm Hospital arose over changes in the provision of services for the elderly, out of which were expressed concerns about the conditions of employment and a fear about the career prospects of psychiatric nursing staff.

The committee’s report said the fear had been made worse by the emphasis now being put on the need for qualified staff and the

phasing-out of ■ hospitalbased nursing training leading to a single qualification in favour of comprehensive training at technical institutes.

“The committee recommended the three-year psychiatric training programmes should be terminated when suitable present employees had been given the opportunity to undertake them and necessary steps had been taken to ensure adequate numbers of comprehensive nurses entered psychiatric nursing,” Dr Bassett said. *Tt said a comprehensive nurs-, ing force would widen their career prospects.” ; The Nurses’ Association welcomed the report Its executive director, Ms Patricia Carroll, said the recommendations endorsed many of the points consistently made in reports and submissions made by the association.