SHORTAGE OF MASSEUSES

Evening Star, Issue 24918, 16 July 1943, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF MASSEUSES

•ACUTE AT AUCKLAND HOSPITAL ; (P:Av) - ; ; ' AUCKLAND, July 15. ■'The shortage of masseuses in the Auckland Hospital was stressed at a sitting of the Auckland Man Power (Industrial) Committee to-day, when, evidence was given by the deputy medical; superintendent (Dr C. B. Gilbert). Thccasfr was'one in which Miss ,P. A, Simmers,-,masseuse, appealed against the ,m,ah : 'pbw'tr'.- officer's decision in /'.refusing'' : -'to'fallow-''-her to leave the massage department' at .the hospital. Mr R. Lydfbrd, representing the man power officer, said that Miss Simmers wished to go to Cook Hospital,;,Gisborne, which supported her appeal .in ' a letter. The Cook Hospital Board said that Miss Simmers's application-was. the only reply ,t : o. ; "advet'tisenVeritS' :tliroiighoii'l New Zealand. The only masseuse the hospital had was about to retire on accouut of illhealth. In the Gisborne district there was only one other qualified masseuse. Dr Gilberd pointed out that the staffing 'position', in the'Au'ofclaiid Hospital's massage department, was serious. Over 80,000 treatments'were • given last year in the institution.,, " .We should -.have 32 masseuses," said :■ 4 Pi- Gilberd. ,:'•"■ "We are 12 short, in the civilian section.and two short in the military section." When the'examinations in Dunedin were completed later in the year it was hoped that further staff would be available. , He admitted that the Cook Hospital should have a. masseuse on its staff. ',-. , . •.,-■(; Decision was deferred until next week to allow further investigation, into the position at Gisboniev: ' .•