THE GISBORNE HOSPITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16783, 25 February 1918, Page 7

THE GISBORNE HOSPITAL

COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

UNREST AMONG NURSING STAFF.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Sunday. The report of Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., commissioner appointed to inquire into the administration of the Gisborne Hospital, states that Mr. Bishop considers the institution in the past was not efficiently conducted, that the hospital provides ampleaccommodation, which, perhaps, is unduly strained at times of severe epidemics, but this should he provided for without undue strain ; that the cost to ratepayers in comparison with other hospitals is reasonable; that the by-laws are amply sufficient to maintain discipline, and there is no reason to believe that they are not being enforced. There has been an extraordinary amount of unrest in the institution for a considerable number of years. The trouble probably commenced six years ago, owing to » most deplorah'.p lack of discipline. The then matron had outlived her usefulness, and the new matron had a long, up-hill struggle, but little by little she broke down the opposition, and although the difficulties ] have not yet entirely disappeared, the whole tone of the institution lias improved. Mr. Bishop pays a high tribute to the courage and grit displayed by Miss Tait, the present matron. He also considers some of the unrest due to the action of some of the reactionary members of past boards, who outnumbered the "reformers," j who, if they had had a free hand, would j bave obviated the necessity fur the inquiry. The commissioner acquits the Public Hospital and Charitable Aid Department of i lany blame, and finds the honorary staff I acquits the Public Health and Hospital and Charitable Aid Departments of any blame j in the matter, and finds the honorary staff ! in no way responsible for the unrest at the hospital. Ho considers if tho matron and the medical superintendent work tof ether, only good can result, but that as not been the case in the past. The report states there is no doubt that the medical superintendent has been greatly overworked, and his physical health suffered in consequence. He is not at the present time in such a condition of health to make his retention desirable. He has done efficient work in the past, but that efficiency has not been continued. A change of some sort is needed. Mr. Bishop states there are seven private hospitals in Gisborne, with 58 beds, which is more in proportion than towns of similar population. There was no satisfactory evidence as to the amount of interest medical men had in these hospitals, except in one case. The commissioner considers that no medical man who is interested in a private hospital should be eligible for a seat on a hospital board. He says he cannot ignore the fact that the general public, rightly or wrongly, attribute a greater part of the unrest being kept alive to the actions of one man, who made himself busy in espousing the cause of individual nurses who came under the matron's ban, and by talking in a.i indiscreet manner what he would and would not do. Such criticism had much better have been kept fo;.- the boardroom. The commissioner, in concluding, hesitates to express any opinion as to the propriety of retaining the new regulation under the Nurses' Registration Act, which provides that the training of pupil nurses may not be terminated without the consent of the registrar of nurses, or whether it is, indeed, ultra vires. A great deal can be said both for and against its retention. It may be mischievous, or the reverse. Mr. Bishop prefers to leave it at that.