DISTRICT NURSES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22593, 23 March 1948, Page 6

DISTRICT NURSES

CONTROL ISSUE

ARRANGING RELIEFS

BOARD MAINTAINS RIGHTS

The recently established agree

ment between tbe C°ok Hospital Board and officers of the Health Department on continuance of control of district nursing was keenly in the minds of members of tbe board yesterday when a letter was received from Miss M. I. Lambie, director of nursing services in the department, indicating that she proposed to arrange for reliefs of nurses in country areas under the board's control.

Miss Lambic agreed'to a relief already arranged for the Patutahi nurse by the board's supervisor of district nursing, but intimated that in future the department would make the arrangements where departmental nurses were concerned Mr. 11. H. Barker pointed out that this was in conflict with the arrangement entered into between the board and officers of the Health Department with!„ the past fortnight, by which control of district nursing was placed in the hands of the board Surrender of a Principle He felt that if the board agreed to Miss Lambic exercising control over leave reliefs it would be surrendering the principle which it had successfully defended He moved that Miss Lnmbie be advised that the board regarded the question of reliefs as one for its district nursing committee. Mr. P. F. Barker seconding the motion.

The chairman, Mr. ,T. B. Williams, pointed out that the motion as drafted might create a difficulty in the future if the board found itself unable to provide the necessary reliefs and was obliged to ask for flic assistance of the department. This view appealed to the board and Mr. Barker agreed to amend his motion by the addition of a clause suggesting that if the committee required the assistance of the department it felt assured of helpful co-operation.

In this form the motion was carried unanimously.