SEACLIFF HOSPITAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25455, 9 February 1944, Page 4

SEACLIFF HOSPITAL

THIRTY-FIVE NURSES NEEDED INDUSTRIAL MAN-POWER CASES The serious shortage of nurses at the Seacliff Mental Hospital was stressed again before the Industrial Man-power Appeal Committee yesterday morning, when two certificated mental nurses. Misses A, and M. Hanlon, appealed against refusal of permission to terminate their employment at Seacliff. The appellants appealed because of their desire to train as general nurses. The committee— Messrs M. W. Grantham (chairman), A. Mcßae, and H. H. Gillard—adjourned the appeals until April 30, 1844. “ The committee would like to allow you to take your general nursing training, and if the staffing position was different you would be relieved,” said Mr Grantham. Every effort had , been made to staff the hospital in order to allow girls to be released, he said. It was quite probable that girls might be found for the hospital, and if so he assured the appellants that they would be released. The appellants both intimated to the committee that they did not intend to remain at the hospital. They had been waiting to go for almost a year, but the position had not improved. That 35 extra nurses were required at the hospital was stated by Dr M. Brown, the medical superintendent. There were about 1000 patients in the institution. “It goes very much against the grain to prevent girls from continuing their nursing training, but at least 12 girls are needed before the Misses Hanlon can be released,” he said. Girls could not be allowed to leave, he said, while 35 still needed. The acting man-power officer, Mr J. H. Flowers, said that permission for the appellants to terminate their employment nad been refused purely on the grounds of shortage of staff. A drive to ease the position had recently been made, but no vacancies had yet been filled. Steps were, however, being taken to obtain more girls for the hospital. Other Appeals An appeal by the Savoy. Ltd., against the granting of permission to Miss Margaret V. A. Moore to terminate her employment with the appellant firm was disallowed. An appeal was lodged by Miss Helen Isobella Bradshaw against direction to employment at Gray’s Private Hotel, Milton, as a housemaid.—The appellant was instructed to report to the man-power officer for direction to employment at a local hotel. Miss Jean Ada McNulty, who is at present employed at the Roslyn Woollen Mills, appealed against direction to employment at the Wellington Public Hospital as a domestic.—The appeal, which was made on medical and personal grounds, was allowed. Mrs N. C. Pollock appealed against a direction that her son, R. F. Pollock, who Is at present employed at the Otago Iron Rolling Mills, should accept employment at the New Zealand Paper . Mills, Mataura, as a factory worker.—The appeal was allowed, with a recommendation that the district man-power officer should direct Pollock into alternative essential work in Dunedin. Thomas Gibson, who is at present employed by the Stevenson and Cook Engineering Company, Ltd., appealed against direction to accept employment with Reid and Gray, Ltd, as a blacksmith.—The appeal was disallowed.