HIGHER PAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1937, Page 5

HIGHER PAY

FOR HOUSE SURGEONS

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL "Very necessary" was how Mr. J. Glover, chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board, at the meeting of the board last night described a decision to offer increased remuneration to first-year and second-year house surgeons. In the past, said Mr. Glover, Wellington had had to take the "leavings" after other institutions had had the best' of the available house surgeons. The matter arose in a report presented by Dr. J. Cairney, the acting superintendent, who said: — "1 shall be pleased if further consideration can be given to the question of house surgeons' salaries. Two of our senior house surgeons have left during the past month. While this does not seriously deplete the staff, it is, I consider, most important that we should endeavour to keep an adequate stall' of house surgeons in both the senior and the junior grades. "The salaries at present are £150 in the first year and £250 in the second year, with a bonus of £25 on completion of the year's service. In recent years there has been a tendency for the salaries of house surgeons to be increased in most hospitals in this country, and several of the smaller hospitals are paying £250 and' £275 in the first year. 1 am informed that the salaries at Auckland are £200 in the first year and £300 in the secondhand 1 would' recommend that the salaries here be brought to that level by increasing the bonus to be paid at the end of each year to. £50." The board decided to increase the bonus as recommended. RESIGNATION OF NURSES. Concerning the resignation of nurses, Dr. Thorne. the superintendent, suggested that a small circular from the board be given to every nurse before she signed ou, telling her ■ that once she signed on she must stay the full period of her contract unless for some reason acceptable to the board she was permitted to break her agreement. In all. such cases applications for release must be made to the board through the matron and the superintendent. Dr. Thorne could not see that any penalty could be enforced unless a month's salary was retained till completion of the course, and that would penalise many nurses who needed the money. The board decided to adopt the suggestion .of : giving such circulars to nurses signing on^ '