Special Meeting of Hospital Board

Northland Age, Volume XVII, Issue 63, 11 May 1948, Page 3

Special Meeting of Hospital Board

Salaries Increases

At a special meeting of the Mangonui County Hospital Board held on Thursday consent was given to the new scale of salaries for nurses. In all cases the new scale provides for increases and should be received by the staff as more adequate remuneration.

Ministerial approval is to be sought for an increase in the living-out allowance, amounting to £22 per annum. Formerly, the maximum allowance was £7B annually. Further staff benefits will be derived from the provision which is made for the payment of overtime rates for time worked in excess of 40 hours weekly. The payment of this compensation is also subject to Ministerial approval and provided that the total amount paid by way of overtime does not amount to more than 10 percent of the basic annual salary. A further provision is that those employees receiving in excess of £3BO per annum will not be paid overtime. In the case of staff employed at Kaitaia, the Board is now permitted to pay £2O per annum location allowance. This is an increase of £lO on the former remote allowance.

Leave periods fixed are as follows: All trainees will receive 23 days annually, an increase of two days. Other classes Sisters, etc., I—will 1 —will receive 23 days annually, as before, and registered staff of the Maternity Annexe will receive 35 days. Provision for sick leave remains as before. Summarising the benefits which the Board’s employees will receive, hospital records show that the basic salary increases range from £25 to £45 annually. Assistant Medical Officer Figures produced by the Secretary, Mr. A. G. Wilson, which showed that the average number of beds occupied per day throughout last year was 43.4, were partly responsible for the Board’s decision to apply to the Minister for permission to employ a fulltime Assistant Medical Officer. It is anticipated that the Minister will be visiting the Board within the next fortnight when the opportunity will be taken of placing this matter before her. Accommodation for the appointee will also be discussed w r ith Miss Howard when she is fully conversant with the difficulties confronting the Board under the present staffing situation. Building Extension Plans Plans for proposed alterations and extensions to the new Nurses’ Home, the Maternity Annexe, the Domestics’ Quarters and the Hospital Laundry, were received from the Board’s architect, Mr. A. P. Morgan of Whangarei, and accorded approval. These too, will be placed before the Minister during her visit, before her formal approval is sought.

Extensions to the Maternity Annexe comprise a larger nursery, having ample accommodation for 13 bassinettes, the provision of a larger and more comfortable day-room for mothers and expectant mothers, a roomy ante-natal room and extra verandah space. Although the building will not accommodate more patients than does the existing one, comfortable and modern surroundings adequately equipped assure future mothers-to-be of the best care and attention. Additions to the present Nurses’ Home will provide accommodation for more General Nurses and the Maternity Annexe Staff. The present deplorable conditions under which Maori domestics are living, have been the subject of discussion at Board meetings for many months past and the Nurses’ Home additions will leave the present Annexe staff’s residence free to accommodate the domestic workers. The cottage in which the domestic staff has been accommodated will be renovated and converted into a staff recreation hall. Finally, extensive- alterations to the Laundry include the provision of a larger linen store, the addition of a work-room and staff-room and conveniences. It is probable that the Board will have to be prepared to raise some £25,000 to cover the cost of these extensions and provided that Ministerial approval of the scheme is given, application will be made to the Loans Board for approximate';,' that amount.