STAFF SHORTAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 105, 30 October 1942, Page 4

STAFF SHORTAGE

HOSPITAL BOARD'S CONCERN

. The seriousness of the staff shortage at the Wellington Public Hospital was emphasised by Mrs. E. M. Gilmer, chairman of the staff and house committee, and other speakers at last night's meeting of the Hospital Board, when it was agreed that immediate representations be made to the appropriate authorities and that the support of the Hospital Boards' Association be sought in rectifying- the position. . - "If we are not. in the front line for essential staff, then I don't know who is in this country," said Mrs. Gilmer. "A very serious position is developing in this hospital." All who were conversant with the position were very concerned about it. At least 50 more workers were required under the headings of domestics,-laundresses, kitchen staff, and porters alone. The hospital could not. be run as effectively 'as it should be without more staff, but all endeavours to build up the staff through the ordinary channels had been, unsuccessful. ' COMPETITION FOR LABOUR. In effect, said Mrs. Gilmer, the board Avas competing with the armed forces and with, industry for the employees it needed, and she Relieved that at the least it was entitled to the same consideration. Full, praise was duto the V.A.D.s, but the fact was that the board's own staff was overworked. The welfare of the patients did. not suffer as a result, but the health of the nurses must eventually be affected. ' "Today we have 1268 patients and we cannot even keep the hospital properly clean," she added. Mr. J. C. Crawford said that the board was up against^ the attraction of uniforms and highger rates.of pay in other, wartime spheres of women's work. Next to the Army, the hospitals were the-most essential employees of labour, and they were not getting' a fair deal; '• ' . Mr. W. Toomath suggested the. employment of medical orderlies to take over some of the porters' work. The chairman (Mr.. F. Castle) said that credit must be given ,tq.; the authorities for pushing ahead with the building of hospitals, but what, was theuse of that,-he asked, unless there were.staffs to run them? It was most essential that; not only the man-power factor but the woman-power factor as well should be considered. Women today^ were, marching with the men, and their services should be directed to the best advantage in the national lnr terests. ::;.". ■ .