DISTRICT NURSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17101, 5 March 1919, Page 8

DISTRICT NURSING.

PROPOSALS IN AUCKLAND.

HOSPITAL BOARD ACTION.

COMMITTEE TO REPORT.

The proposal to initiate a district nursing scheme was : discussed at a special meet* ing of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board last evening. The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, presided, and i number of ladies, representing various women's organisations, were present.by inTitation. These included Mrs. G. Bloomfield (president) and Miss A. Henderson (secretary) of the Plunket Society; Mieses McLaren, McCarthy and Newall. Plunket nurses: Miss A. Bagley, of the Publio Health Department; Miss F. E. Jackson, secretary of the Women's National Gransill Miss Lite Jones, representing, the Trained Nurses' Association. Correspondence read- by tho secretary showed that the scheme which it was proposed to adopt in Auckland was started some .years ago in Christchurch by Nurse Maude as a voluntary movement, and developed to such an extent that it had the effect of relieving congestion in the hos-, pital. A Nurse Maude Association had been formed, and about three years ago an arrangement was made with the North Canterbury Hospital Board whereby the board subsidised the Work, but the arrangement had lately been altered to payment of £100 for every trained nurse employed by the association, provided sufficient subscriptions were received to warrant that amount. In consideration of the subsidy, the board had the right to call on the district nurses to take over from the hospital patients who could bo attended in their own homes. The city was divided into blocks, and each morning the nurses went out with a list of five to seven patients, tod, carrying the reouisite nursing appliances, paid regular visits, to the patients. Each nurse was instructed to communicate with the minister of religion of the faith to which each patient belonged and to inform him of the sickness or distress of the pa ie " ' . Question .9! Control

The chairman said that the proposal was first brought under the notice of the board by Dr. T. J. Hughes, district health of* ficer, in- October last, but the epidemic intervened and the matter had remained in abeyance. With the assistance of Miss A, B'agley,. assistant inspector to-the, Public Health Department, the board had gathered a great deal of information on the proposal, and it was now desired to ascertain the views of the women's organisations. After, referring. to the admirable work done fay the ..members of the Phrnket Society and the women's organisations', Mr, ■Wallace said that members -Of the board had made up. their minds that it was desirable 'to establish such a district scheme. His own 'opipjon was that" the scheme should; be controlled by the Hospital Board,; and: that the lady superintendent should direct operations, . -. . Mr. Wallace mentioned that the board had received from the Minister for :Public Health a circular relating to the Maternity and Child Welfare (Imperial) Bill, which j gave to local authorities in England and J Wales, power to make arrangements for attending- to the ; health of ~expectant mothers and nursing mothers, and of children who had not attained the age of five years and ' were not" being educated in schools recognised by the Board of Educa; tion. In his" letter the : Minister : said, hewould be glad if.the board would give this matter consideration with a view 'to appointing committees, to -.work; along the lines indicated. chairman remarked that this was a matter which the women's organisations could well consider. Support by Women's Organisations. , . Miss A,, Bagley K said she thought the t nursing schema, should be directly con- j trolled by the board, which should determine.the method of directing'; the scheme before makingi any appointments. She suggested that the board would benefit, as, by treating a, number of people in their homes 1 the board would W relieved of caring for them in hospital. ; ' .. ; >-- : ;] Miss Jackson agreed' that the scheme was; very, desirable, hut she thought the lady, superintendent' was now so .fullyoccupied that she- Would not., be ahhy to; devote much 'time to the scheme. ' ... ~ ' Mrs- Blcorafleld said the scheme seemed so good that she saw no reason why it should not bo adopted vin Auckland.' Referring to the question of child welfare she: said that 'the object of the Plunket Society was to protect child life arid to educate the mother in the-care of her child. The. society made no distinction, between' classed'"' " N '

After discussion, the ladies were thanked for their attendance and retired. The board then further, ojbussed the proposal,, and on the suggestion of Mr. P.M. Mackay decided to appoint a com-' mitted to go thoroughly "into the matter of the nursing scheme, the- Women's National Conncil; Plunket Society and VN Nurses r Association to be asked to nominate represeritativjss on-the committee-