Disregard task force plan, nurses told

Press, 2 October 1987, Page 5

Disregard task force plan, nurses told

Nurses graduating from the Christchurch School of Nursing last evening were told to disregard the latest proposal from the hospital task force that hospitals be sold to “stand as separate enterprises.” Dr Gordon Cumming, chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board and an executive member of the Hospital Boards’ Association, was addressing the second last group to graduate from the school.

Nurses were probably asking about the proposed changes to the hospital system and how it would affect them, he said.

“Only yesterday, there were ominous' noises emanating from the task force — I believe you should - disregard what was said by the task force because it will be opposed by the Government, by the public, and by the profession as a whole.” Dr Cummin; said he felt a better health system would emerge from the joining of hospital services, district Health Department offices, and

voluntary health organisations in area health boards. “I do not believe these changes will affect you or your career prospects in any great way — nurses will still be needed for hospitals.” Sixty-five nurses in three programmes — general-obstetric, psychiatric, and psychopaedic — graduated last evening. The final group from the Christchurch School of Nursing will graduate in November. Graduands were: General-obstetric (Christchurch Hospital).—Altments, Mara Dzintra; Anderson, Corinna Elizabeth; Baker, Angela Mary; Bird, Amanda Ruth; Burgess, David John; Caseley, Caroline Louise; Chaffey, Mary Jane; Christie, Annabelle E.M.; Coleman, John Alexander; Cooney, Patricia Mary; Evans, Bronwyn Margaret; Fahey, Gabrielle Helena; Flood, Erin Jennifer; Gwyther, Karen Elizabeth; Jefferson, Fran Elizabeth; Johnston, Nelida Lee; Jones, Kerry Ann; Lindsay, Debra Jane; Lipyeat, Jennifer; McBride, Helen Kate; Moran, Gayle; O'Sullivan, Justine Frances; Owens, Neil John; Richardson, Sandra Kathryn;

Robertson, Melanie Ann; Schellekens, Maria H (now Mrs Ashby); Stewart, Margaret Irene (now Mrs Winter). General-obstetric (Princess Margaret Hospital):—Byers, Anna Mary; Fitzgerald, Joanne Marie; Harrison, Susan Jane; Hoetjes, Maria Magdalena; Johnstone, Shelley Ann; Cosgrove, Gail Nicola; Mee, Alice ClaireOrton, Nicola Lesley; Paterson, Caroline Anne; Reed, Michelle Anne; Saville, Victoria Jane; Smith, Gaeleen Berenice; Smitheram, Karen Tracey; Williamson, Susan Marie.

Psychiatric. — Calvert, Susan Wendy; Daly, Helen Margaret; Edkins, Leigh-De-bra; Ellis, Robin Keith; Foster, Michelle Helen; Gibbs, Megan Jane; Gurr, lan Frederick; Hughes, Steven Britnell; Jeffrey, Peter James; King, Christine Anne; Nicol, Grant Wyse; Nolan, Gabrielle Anne; Patira, Phillip Andrew S.; Seymour, Lance Joseph; Wade, Susan Maree; Webb, Heather Ann.

Psychopaedic. — Harrington, Kay Louise; Kerr, Grant Bryan; Marr, Yvonne Joan; McGarry, Elisabeth Anne P.; O’Kane, Peter Gregory; Swan, Tracey Helen; Torrance, Bronwyn Jeanne; Turrall, Michelle.