HAWERA DISTRICT NURSE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1934, Page 11

HAWERA DISTRICT NURSE

HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMMENT. MATTER TO BE DISCUSSED. The Hawera Hospital Board’s decision not to subsidise the Health Departnient’s Maori nursing scheme in the WareaMokoia district and the arrangement made to have a district nurse in conjunction with the Red Cross Society were the subjects of a letter received by the board yesterday from Dr. M. H. Watt, Director-General of Health, who was inclined to be critical of the arrangements made.

It will be pointed out to Dr. Watt that he has misunderstood the position, but his request to meet the board to discuss the question was agreed to. The meeting will take place next month and in the meantime no nurse will be appointed. The secretary, Mr. C. Harrison, reported having written to Dr. Watt advising him that the Hawera board had refused the department’s request for a subsidy towards the cost of maintaining a district nurse for Maoris in the coastal district. A district nurse had been appointed instead in conjunction with the Red Cross Society, the conditions being that the society provide the car, and the hospital board the salary of a full-time nurse, lodgings, drugs and motor spirit. The director-general was informed that the cost had been estimated at £2OO per annum.

To this Dr. Watt replied that he would like to bring several matters in connection with the appointment to the board’s notice. The estimated cost of £2OO a year was felt to be insufficient. The salary for the position would be at least £180; the cost of lodging anything from £25 to £5O according to whether it was only an office dr living quarters which would be provided; a low estimate of the cost of drugs would be £2O, and motor spirit and oil for the car from £4O to £5O. The board would see the cost of the service would be at least £275 to £3OO. In addition it had not been found satisfactoiy to lodge a district i.urse in the public hospital owing to the irregularity of her meal hours.

Although the department regarded the establishment of district nursing with sympathy, particularly if such service relieved the in-stay of hospital patients, it was felt that if the nurse’s area were to extend to Opunake and include attention to Maoris as well aS Europeans there would be a certain amount of overlapping. The district proposed was too large for a nurse giving bedside care. In view of these comments, said Dr. Watt, he would be glad if the board would defer making the appointment until early in October, so that he might arrange to discuss the matter with the board. Dr. Watt said he could arrange to meet the board with Dr. Cairney, Dr. M. Champtaloup and a representative of the Red Cross Society early in October. It was only in regard to lectures that the nurse was to visit the Opunake district, said Mr. McKay. It had never been decided to make the salary £lBO. Mr. Gillanders thought that it was not intended to make the appointment to affect Maoris and overlap with the Health Department nurse. Mr. Bridger pointed out that, it was not intended to give bedride care.