BRITISH HOSPITALS

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1938, Page 4

BRITISH HOSPITALS

SHORTAGE OF NURSES. Inquiries made by the "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post” reveal that the decision of the Metropolitan Boroughs Joint Standing Committee to restrict entry to London County Council hospitals is a symptom of a grave and widespread shortage of nurses throughout the country. A circular issued by the committee limits admission of cases of scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough and dysentery to those patients only who are seriously ill. Although the restrictions of a nurse’s life are generally given as reasons for women’s reluctance to enter the profession, it was emphasised at several hospitals yesterday that one of the reasons for the shortage was the increased demand. “There are probably more nurses than ever before,” said one hospital j authority, “but what is often forgotten is that there is also much greater number of beds.”

Another authority said that the great development of health services had created- a shortage of nurses. “Nurses are absorbed," she said, “into such services as infant welfare, public health, and the welfare departments of commercial firms.” She also stressed the unattractiveness of the profession caused by the long hours of work, poor pay, and restrictions on liberty that at present prevail. A third reason put forward ,by several hospitals to account for the shortage was that the country is now experiencing the results of the low birthrate towards the end of the war. “The girls who should have been born then,” said an official at the Belgrave Hospital for Children, Clapham Road, S.W., "would have been at the age to be nurses now.” One authority said it was difficult to obtain women of the right type, afrd that during the last two years the standard of intelligence and education required of probationers had been lotvered.

At a meeting of the governors of the Belgrave Hospital for Children the committee announced that it had decided to increase the staff from 42 10 54. This-will mean that the probationers will only have to work a 48-hour week, aPd some are to be permitted to live o?t.

“This measure will cost us £750 a year,” official, “b’lt we had to do it or close the hospital We used to admit probationers to v ildren’s hospitals at 18, while ■ the age* limit for general hospitals was 21. Now, because of the shortage, the general hospitals have had to lower the age limit, and we find we cannot get nurses.”