LIVING OUT

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1938, Page 7

LIVING OUT

HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBERS.

[Per Press Association.]

CHRISTCHURCH, May 18.

The accommodation demands for the increasing nursing staff at the Christchurch Public Hospital has resulted in the board deciding that the domestic staff must “live out.”

Before the system of giving all members of the nursing staff one day off regularly every week, the majority of the domestic workers were accommodated in the hospital staff buildings. The accommodation situation was made more difficult when a 44-hour week was introduced for domestics, who number 93.

So far, nearly 60 o'f the domestic staff have found rooms away from the hospital. Most have found suitable accommodation in the vicinity of the hospital. A room allowance of 10s weekly is made all employees who have to live out.

The hospital now has a total of 466 beds, compared with 438 two years ago. The temporary ward used in the period of the infantile paralysis epidemic and for soldiers, alongside the Chalmers block is now fully used for in-patients. The increase in the number of beds, together with the shortening of the actual period of work of the nurses, has necessitated additions to the staff and caused the shortage of accommodation. Apparently no difficulty _is being experienced in maintaining the nursing staff, as no report on any Shortage has been made to the North Canterbury Hospital Board.