HOME NURSING SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 April 1944, Page 2

HOME NURSING SERVICE

GOVERNMENT PLAN UNDER SOCIAL SECURITY New Plymouth, April 16. The operation of a district or homenursing service under the social security scheme is planned by the Government and an announcement is expected shortly, the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer. said in reply to representations made by three Taranaki hospital boards at New Plymouth on Saturday. The chairman of the Taranaki Hospital Board. Mr P. E. Stainton, who suggested to the Minister that a district nursing scheme should be included in hospital benefits, said that a doctor's services could be obtained free of direct charge, but a fee of half a crown was charged for a visit from a district nurse. The hospital boards urged that the cost of nurses’ salaries and travelling expenses should be a charge against the Social Security Fund. Mr Nordmeyer said the greatest difficulty in the way was the acute shortage of nurses, but in spile of the shortage it had been decided to commence a service with the personnel available. When the service was established many patients, particularly elderly persons, could be cared for at home by relatives. This would be of advantage to the patients and would save increasing the hospital accommodation. A further representation made by the boards was the inclusion of a bacteriological service in the social security scheme. Mr Nordmeyer said that the reason a bacteriological service was not introduced earlier was that most laboratories were understaffed, but it would not be long before such a service was in operation.—P.A.