HOSPITAL KITCHENS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 54, 1 September 1945, Page 6

HOSPITAL KITCHENS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—We, the kitchen staff employed at Wellington Hospital, consider the report of Miss McKenzie's speech at the dietetic conference misleading, in so far as it conveys the impression that the total work is done solely by dietitians. The dietetic staff do prepare and weigh special diets, ably assisted by a competent cook. They also arrange all menus, and order all ingredients for the preparation of such which in itself entails a vast amount of work. These menus are then prepared and cooked in the main kitchen by the kitchen staff. We realise that owing to the increased number of patients in the Wellington Hospital a considerable amount of extra work falls on the dietetic staff, and also on the workers in the main kitchen. We would, however, like to draw your attention to the fact that in 1939 there was only one qualified dietitian employed at the hospital, plus three student dietitians, who were assisted by one female kitchen hand. In 1945, however, there' are four fully qualified dietitians employed, three senior student dietitians, and six junior students, ably assisted by a first-class cook, who is actually rated as a second cook and receives the wages of such, so you see that if the work has increased enormously, so also has the staff of that particular department. Now let us come to the main kitchen where the greater part of the food for the patients is cooked. We find that in 1939 there were four cooks employed, but today, although the work has increased by practically 100 per cent., there still are only the same number of cooks employed. The chief cook today receives £5 6s 6d, the second cook and extra second £4 0s 3d, and third cook £3 5s 6d, all net. Those wages represent only a very slight advance on the 1939 figures. As a matter of fact, the chief cook receives 6d per week less today than she did in 1939. If you compare those wages with those ruling in the licensed hotels in Wellington, you will not wonder why the Wellington Hospital cannot get staff for the main kitchen. The hospital may be short of staff, it is not denied, but it has the remedy in its own hands. If it will only pay wages in accordance with the rates ruling in other establishments at the present time, it will find that its staff problems will largely cease. Miss McKenzie has stated that "they are doing everything possible for the domestics, and have looked after their staff." She may possibly be referring to the up-to-date machinery that has been installed and .which certainly tends to make our work lighter, but any concessions that we may have received over recent years have been obtained solely through the intervention of our union. We are not belittling Miss McKenzie or her dietitians. They are doing a good job in very difficult times,'but we do think they have allowed a tactless report to come before the public, and for that reason we wish to present our side of the case. We also heartily dislike to be referred to as "domestics, and prefer at all times to be referred to as "workers" or "kitchen staff." The name "domestic" keeps thousands of workers out of hospitals, and private homes, too, for that matter; to the woman worker it is like "the brand of Cain. —We aJg T ®,g^. N WO RKERS. The signatures of a number of members of the kitchen staff have been forwarded to the Editor as authority for this letter.