CONDITIONS AT DUNEDIN HOSPITAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7300, 2 December 1910, Page 1

CONDITIONS AT DUNEDIN HOSPITAL

MISS MACLEAN'S.REPORT COMPLAINTS EXAGGERATED, BET ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS. PRESS , ASSOCIATIONDUNEDIN. December 1. The chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board has received from the department <at Wellington tho report of Miss Mac Lean, assistant-inspector, on her. recent investigation of conditions existing at the Dunedin Hospital, also the recommendations of the department thereon.

In a letter forwarded with the report Dr Valintine (Inspector-General) says it must ho admitted that there is room for improvement with repaid to nurses' dietary and the arrangements therefor. Indeed, these facts have .been recognised by the medical superintendent and1 other responsible officers, and recommendations of the dietary committee had. heon forwarded to the board ou the day the first letter of criticism appeared in the “Otago Daily Times." Dr Valiutin© added that as regards the; other charges, though hero and there some alterations- in existing arrangements are undoubtedly necessary, ; tne charges were in the main grossly exaggerated. BREACH OP DISCIPLINE.

The action of; the junior medical officer in admitting a reporter to one 1 of .the wards without retorenco; to the senior officer on duty is hold by Dr. Valiutin© to be a grave breach, of discipline, and he., suggests that a severe reprimand be administered. Unless the board has additional reasons for thinking he should be more severely dealt with, the In-spector-General says the doctor : concerned “should be given to ti.ntlerstand that his engagement, expiring in three months, will not be renewed. Dr Valintine approves of the suspension of the nurse who supplied information to the reporter and recommends that her services be dispensed with. NURSING CONDITIONS.

Miss klaoLean’s report states, with reference to the allegation, as to. the number. of; nurses off duty through illness, that eix out of sixty-seven weie off. She thinks the nurses receive every .kindness and consideration, and .that the amount of' sickness has been exceedingly small. She considers the. statement that insufficient time is allowed for m ea bs has no foundation in fact. ; She 'admits?-' there has been ground for complaint with regard to the cooking of the food and serving. /The statement that nurses had. been refused leave to visit dying relatives is,. .she* say®, entirely false. Sunday cleaning had been, carried on against the/matron's desire and some of the physical : work done by the nurses had been forbidden by the matron. The period granted fox holidays gave cause for dissatisfaction. ■Miss Mao Lean mado/rocommeudations, for improving the cooking and for varying the dietary scale, that late leave for nurses be slightly extended, that the annual ■ holidays ho increased to ; three weeks, that cleaning in wards be done only onoo a day by ward maids or nurses, that washing; painted walls be done by men not by nurses'.' v ' ' i A number of other recommendations are made for improving the conditions of nurses. • „ , / .; In another letter Dr Vahnrtme says that as regards the honorary staff the four-monthly' change of duty m wards should be discontinued, such change.pt duty not to take place more frequently than once a year.