More nursing trainees to relieve shortage

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 2

More nursing trainees to relieve shortage

PA Whangarei Staff shortages in New Zealand hospitals were partly a result of poor planning, said the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, in Whangarei yesterday. He said’ salary’ levels were not the sole’cause of shortages of nurses and medical specialists. Dr Bassett was speaking to 300 delegates of tbe New Zealand Hospital Boards' .Association at tbeir biennial conference.

Increasing wages was not tbe potential solution for the problems, he said. Many of the points advanced’ by staff recently were valid, be said. Annual intakes of nursing trainees had fallen from more than 1500 in 1980 to 1200 last vear.

Dr Bassett told delegates there would be an increase in training intakes next year.

“I hope to develop a system that will enable us’to plan ahead better,” he said. Although there had been a steady increase in the number of trainee posts for specialist areas in recent years, there were still significant shortages, said Dr Bassett He said there could also be a review of registrar training with incentive schemes.