L.C.C. NURSES’ CHARTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 June 1938, Page 10

L.C.C. NURSES’ CHARTER

LESS HOURS, MORE PRIVILEGES. LONDON, May 7Nurses in London County Council hospitals will have shorter hours of duty and more privileges under a scheme jn oposed by the Hospitals and Medical Services Committee. The scheme will be discussed at to-mor-row’s Council meeting.

The reforms include:A 36-hour fortnight; abolition of split-duty system; breakfast or supper in bed on days or evenings off.

At present the nurses work 54 hours a week- The new’ plan will involve the employment of about 1,000 additional stuff, at an ultimate estimated cost of nearly £123,000 a year. Leave beyond midnight will be regarded as normal freedom for members of the trained stuff, and they w’ill not. be required to obtain permission beforehand. Fourth-year probationers alter passing the State Final Examination, w’ill have the same privilege.

Probationers in their second and third year will receive two midnight passes each week, including the day eff, and leave every evening utter duty until 11 p.m. In tjie case of iirst-year [.rebationers ordinary evening leave will bo until 10.30.

, Among other new privileges granted to the’ nursing staff arc: Use in the evenings of gymnastic apparatus in the hospital massage departments; 'Phe provision of “general purposes” rooms for games, theatricals, dressmaking and other activities; Light refreshments for those w’ho have been absent from supper, and who return to the hospital after 10 p.m.; and-

The provision of weekly periodicals in the staff common rooms.

Even facilities for hiking will be provided. Nurses on their nights off, or on leave for several days, may sleep at council hospitals at a distance from their own. Picnic meals will be available for nurses spending days in the country. The committee expects that "these extra facilities will appeal especially to members of the staff desiring to form country walking parties.”