HOSPITAL VISITING STAFF

Evening Star, Issue 26000, 15 January 1947, Page 6

HOSPITAL VISITING STAFF

LONGER TENURE DESIRABLE DR SMIRK ENDORSES CRITICISM Agreement with the general principle of Sir William Fletcher Shaw’s contention that visiting staffs of hospitals in New Zealand should have a greatersecurity of tenure was expressed today by Dr Smirk, professor olf medicine at the Otago Medical School and chief of the medical • services at the Dunedin Hospital, when asked to comment on the statement as it affected his field. “ The situation regarding hospital staffs in New Zealand may nbt be quite parallel to that existing in, Great Britain,” said Dr Smirk. At one time it was the case in both, countries for visiting staffs to work in an honorary capacity, and the step of arranging for the remuneration of visiting staffs had been taken first in the Dominion. “ Under such circumstances it is inevitable that the public bodies responsible for paying the salaries must have an interest in the service performed. At the same time, as Sir Wii-

Ham emphasises, security of tenure of appointment is of great importance if such posts are to continue to attract men of the highest standing. Where appointments are virtually permanent, special care must be taken to ensure that the officers selected have the necessary qualifications and standing.” POST-GRADUATE TRAINING. Overseas experience, to which Sir William referred as a desirable practice, was certainly of great importance, ‘added Dr Smirk. In the past, however; it had. often happened that too many young men had been away from New Zealand during the period of their greatest fruitfulness. “ I believe that much post-graduate in the subject , of medicine, and probably in other shbjects, can be obtained in much the same way in the. Dominion a 6 elsewhere. It is ; at the, stage where a graduate requires' experience and information that cannot be .obtained in any single institution that lie needs to travel and visit several hospitals and centres of research.” (See page 5.)