NURSES AND MIDWIVES

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 3

NURSES AND MIDWIVES

TRAINING IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS IMPORTANT CHANGES 1H BILL [l'eom Oui; Parliamentary Kei'Outek.] WFLLINCTOX. September 9. Considerable alterations have been made by the Health Committee of the (louse to the Nurses and Mid wives’ llegistration Bill, which seeks to have private hospitals ol accepted standard approved as a training school tor nurses. Beporting this afternoon, tho Chairman of the Health Committee (Mr C. H. Clinkard) said that much evidence mi the Bill’s proposals was taken from all interested parties, and the unanimous opinion of the committee was that the Bill should proceed as amended. Mr Clinkard explained that (Ik; committee had amended the Bill to provide that- a, public hospital anight be approved as a limited framing school, but that no private hospital should be so approved. A private hospital might be approved only as a complete training school for nurses. In addition, no private hospital should be so approved unless provision were made in it lor not fewer Ilian forty beds to be available at all times by patients receiving nursing and hospital service without charge, or for an inadequate charge. The condition originally proposed by the Bill was that the daily average occupied number of beds for the six months immediafelv preceding the date of application was llfty or upwards. Further alterations were that the board should not approve, of any private hospital as a training school until it was satisfied that the standard of training and instruction in theoretical and practical nursing to lie given would not bo lower in any respect than the standard of training and instruction afforded at thoso public hospitals already approved as complete training schools. *

Mr Clinkard explained I, Iml this provision was made In safeguard rcciprocity with Britain in regard In the registration ol‘ nurses. To further safeguard (ho reciprocal agreement bcLwcon 1 Jritnin and New Zealand, I lie committee recommended that the approval of any private hospital as a training school he revoked if the daily average number of occupied beds of a public class in any period of twelve months fell below thirty, or if 1 lie board were satisfied, after reasonable inquiry, that the standard of.training and instruction was below the standard required by the General Nursing Conned of England and Wales. The committee, added Mr Clinkard, bad added a now clause providing for right of appeal from the decisions of the boiu'd. Tho report of the committee was tabled, tho Chairman intimating that, as tho subject matter of tho petitions bad been dealt Avitli in that report the committee had no recommendation to make concerning various petitions praying that the Bill be not allowed to proceed.