NELSON HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 April 1926, Page 6

NELSON HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION

GENERAL ALL-ROUND INURE ASF , ‘in salaries

tncv&ts&i * !1 Ur* salines of the’ ad ihinistrativo staff <* t}; ‘ Nei.s,r: Hospital v/ere intide »>E 1 1 Hospital Board at yest-erd afternoon's meeting. At ‘‘ I’ 11 * • vious iiu-t-tmg of tli(‘ Ronril too Committee was instructcd to report as to reorganisation of the new Hospital and the salaries paid t-o the administrative staff, and practically ail the recommendations were unanimously agreed to. The chairman (Mr G. M. Rout) said the committee had gone to a great deal 6f trouble regarding the salaries paid to the staff compared with hospitals of similar size in the Dominion. Ashburton, whose hospital was about the same size as Nelson, paid its medical s.upeiintenddnt £9OO and a free house, (m l and lighting; Gisborne paid a similar ainoiini ; Southland £BOO, with a lmiise .surgeon tit £150; Ilawlte s Ray £9;>o; and Wairati £BSO. Nelson .paid £OSO with free house. Tirnaru and Grey ; mouth paid £IOOO with free house, etc. The recomiiieiuhition of the committee was that the resident surgeon s salary should be increased from £650 to £9OO a year. . The chairman then read a letter from •the resident surgeon applying for an increase ill salary to £IOOO a year. Ihe chairman remarked, after reading the letter, that Dr. Low had been underpaid in the past, as shown by the figures he had quoted. •Mr Spiers: Are other salaries In go up as well? , The ('hailinan : Yes. : Mr Spiers: The whole of them ? 'The ..Chairman : Yes. I mentioned -that we had underpaid them in the past.. We have a good staff and should pay them well to retain their services. .It pays to pay good salaries and keep "(efficient: men. Mr Page: I think it was understood ; all along that we should do this. The ohairman : Yes. \Ve gave n promise. Air Berryman said he thought all . recognised that a good doctor was essential. In a district of this size they •were bound to provide proper facilities and proper medical treatment for the. sick. They could not expect to keep , highly qualified men on low salaries. The' Board were only trustees of l lie public and should keep the expenses as low as possible. They also had a duty to Hie sick people to provide them with proper treatment. r J he midwifery department of (he new hospital would mean considerable more work. But they must not lose sight of the fact that the fn-lmriry industries of the district Were not ns prosperous as they might 'be. He would very much like to give the doctor what lie asked for ; hut he thought, taking everything into consideration, that if they made the salary . t-iie same as the Wairau hospital they should be doing their duty, fi' things improved there was no reason why tiio 'salary should not lie increased in a year or two. Dr. Low had given great satisfaction and his services were greatly appreciated, as was evidenced from thfe letters that were frequently appearing in the press. The Board must ’ gthird against extravagance and must not forget that they were only handling other people's money. He moved that ribe resident surgeon’s salary be increased to £BSO. , The Chairman remarked that the business of the new hospital would grow arid that they might lose the services cf Dr. Low, who if lie commenced private . practice in Nelson could easily make from £IOOO to £I2OO a year, U Air Hcwotson : Has the town commit'"tec gone into the question <>f the total rise in salaries? The chairman: Yes. He then proceeded to read the recommendations of the enfrirnittee ns follows: — ■ MEDICAL AND NURSING STAKE ' Resident surgeon : £650 to £9OO. House surgeon the same. £l5O (to he reviewed in six months). Matron : £225 to £260. Sub-matron, theatre sister and dispenser (combined): £l5O to £175. 'Maternity sister (vet to he appointed): £l5O. Sisters: £l2O to £l3O. Staff nurses: £IOO (no change). Probationers (no change): Ist year £4O, second £42, third £54.

A DMIN TSTR ATT YE ST A FF , Secrelary: £4OO to £SOO (to lie- reviewed in' six mnnMis). Assistant clerk: £65 tit £9O. House steward and relieving officer : £260 to £3OO. It. was further recommended that to eomrritiiiinvafe the opening of the now hospital that the whole staff lie granted* a bonus of 5 per cent, on their present salaries, absorbing about £2BB. The chairman pointed out that Hie increases proposed were based on what were paid at other institutions similar in sisie to .Nelson. • t.RECOMMENDATIONS DISC T’SSKD Mr Berry man: Does Hie committee See any valid reason tor increasing the doctor’s salary to more than that paid at Wairau '! The Chairman : Blenheim is a smaller hospital. Mrs Watson: Has Blenheim a mater iiity warcl? The chairman : No. Mr Berryman said that, in this case he did not wish to press his motion. He was under the. impression that- the Wairau hospital was as big as Nelson. Mr Hewetson said they must take into consideration the salaries of the engineers and firemen who would be appointed when the new hospital was in operation. Mrs Watson: We also have a storeman. Mr Hewetson said that the total increase in salaries, including those of others to be appointed to carry on the new hospital, would probably run into. £I2OO or £I4OO. Personally lie thought the new hospital would lead to a great increase in the number of patients, and the fees would go a long wav in making up the increases. The Chairman remarked that the one-ward rooms would he occupied hv the wealthier class. Mr Hewetson: We will have to revise the. fees. The Chairman : Yes. r Mr Hewetson added that he thought the fees were lower than the general run and would have to he increased. HECO'MMENDATTONS a no PTE d Cr. Berryman said that no doubt the town committee had gone into the matfei 1 very carefully. He was under the impression that when lie proposed that the salary be £BSO a year that the Wairau hospital was the same size as Nelson, and he would be now quite willing to add the extra £SO. The appointment of a junior house surgeon would save the ' Board about £3O a month in anaesthetic fees,- and in all the circumstances he would move that •be fecommendations of Hie town enm-

mittee regarding the salary of the medical silperimemli lit lie adopted. Seconded bv ( r. Ilewetson. He said the additional to the salaries did not include the £2OO a year in Dr. Barr, liie rect n! Iv ap'pi‘iiitc.l rioiioingisL ii" was quite certain that the revenue of Ihc hospital would inrivasc equivalent to, . " more, than the m;c‘v«.-u’S p: <ipo.se, i. At the .same t ine they i.un.-t < • •■..-id-w the question of inure,i.\:;:g firt hose iida to ft-ty w.nJri g-t tf " d m ■::! it l: 11 . i a pil.'. ! !in|. In r-a : , ies : iiu; lie realised il.at the Board must do something. The doctor had been very much underpaid. In view of the salaries paid by other places similar io Nelson in size he did not consider the salary was 100 much. They had a good man and all seemed satisfied with him. He (the speaker), however, was disap pointed that there were no increase* lor tin lower paid members of the staff, a it hnuuli they were paying them nearly as mileli as other place.:. lie considered I lie Board should eom.iib r increasing t lie salaries of ihc pi ob;d loners and the stall nurse... lie- 1 'hail iii.in r nd 1 1,. Be '.'id was pa vile.. 1 pi' bn I mm ns JJ/n) iur M.<- to.-I Veil r ; £ it) for ihe croud and JJut) In trie Mind. Il< ipu Ted ligilles slii.'V, ing that in soling r.ies llii 1 salaries paid m size to Nelson. Air Barton, as a member of the lown commit lee. said t-lle mallei' had lieen gone into very thoi <mgidy. and he was glad the i'Ci emmeiidat ions nmi inrl with the approval of the Braid. The motion that the re.iimmeiidat iom; lie adopted, with the except u.n of the proposed bonuses fwllieh was added in the original million) was Mon put and carried iirianimoiislv. (Jn the im.'tmii of Mr Spiel's, niund'd b\ Cr. Berryman. it was resolved ln. l. no ail ion be taken a I )> i* , i i.garthnv' the bonuses In the whole of Ihe stall. Mrs Watson asl.ed if any time.', was. going to- lie done about M,e ilemrsi u staff'. Mr Berryman said they were always i hanging and he did noi i liiuk the Boat'll could deal with them. Mrs Moffat i, llmiiglii tin; Board might provide lire first year s uniforms of the protjiil ioisers. The secretary pointed out that this was already done. Airs Moffat t said she knew ol her own personal knowledge where two probationers had hern told to provide t In it uniforms and had done so. BONUS FOR. SOME OF STAFF Mr Spiers, after moving a resolution which was not seconded, that the (iavii committee reconsider the question of the salaries of staff nurses and probationers, moved that- they be paid a bonus of £5 each (ntisorhini r about £125). Seconded by Air Tiintjicliff. I lie motion was carried. FEES TO BE RAISED I he secretary said the time was m ur ripe ti> increase the fees. They had to make the new building “go." Other

hospitals charged 9'- a day. which was a v cry nominal fee. aid any a of people could alfoid In pay i 1 . Ike (i a ilav now charg'd was rid leu I' : is. Air Berryman moved that tlm h"'s he 9 a day. to date from the occupancy of the new hospital. Seconded bv Mr Spiers and eai'ied Mrs Matson pointed ea“ that . i.e T Bee '4 the: u : I■ • </' h" I :