Coronation plans anger nurses

Press, 30 August 1989, Page 9

Coronation plans anger nurses

PATRICK McLENNAN

Nursing staff at Coronation Hospital are angry at the Canterbury Area Health Board’s lack of communication with them over the hospital’s closing, and are determined to keep it open.

“Where are they (the elderly) going to go”? a Christchurch organiser of the New Zealand Nurses Association, Ms Carolyn PayneHarker, asked yesterday. "Where are the beds? Their relatives just don’t know where they’ll be in six months time.” The health board’s decision to close the geriatric hospital was pure cost-cutting and the welfare of the patients had not been considered, she said. The board’s chairman, Mr Tom Grigg, said earlier yesterday that geriatric patients would be accommodated at either Burwood Hospital or private institutions. Ms Payne-Harker said that was not acceptable to the nurses. Mr Grigg said geriatric specialists had told the board that the planned rehabilitation and assessment unit at Burwood would reduce the need for long-term hospital care for the elderly. Ms Payne-Harker said: “First they have to create space in current institutions, but they’re acute hospitals and won’t meet the needs of the

elderly. They’ll come to be seen as bed-blockers by doctors.” Two resolutions were passed by about 40 Coronation Hospital nurses at a Nurses Association meeting yesterday. The first supported improving facilities at the hospital or providing satisfactory alternative facilities, she said.

“It should be self-contained, not mixed, and able to give the sort of expert care needed.” Mr Grigg said there was no possibility of Coronation Hospital’s being saved. "The buildings are substandard. The care is first class, but staff are working in sub-standard

conditions.” He ruled out the renovation of the hospital as it would cost more than building a new facility. “The board has wanted to do that all along (build a new hospital), but plans can’t go ahead for that in the near future, unless the Government changes its present direction.” The nurses’ second resolution condemned health board members

for taking “excessive” pay rises recently. “They are not acknowledging that patients should be coming before board members.” Ms Payne-Harker said a combined health employees commitee meeting would be held on Friday, at which stage further action on the hospital’s closing would be considered. There would be a public campaign, and possibly demonstrations. As part of the nurses’ award protocol they would be involved in a review of the health board’s decision. Ms Payne-Harker said the health board had a difficult task in cutting

back its budget, but had concentrated on cost-cutting without considering how to make the health service more efficient. There were other ways of cutting costs that did not affect patient services, she said. “And other boards are doing it, such as Nelson. None of their suggestions have resulted in a closing of services.”