HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Wairarapa Age, 26 August 1933, Page 3

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF WAIRARAPA BOARD. SALARIES OF PUPIL NURSES. The chairman, Mr. W. Fisher, presided at the bi-monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board, held yesterday. Others present were: Dr. G. S. Sharp, Messrs. J. C. Ewington, J. F. Thompson, R. Smith, F. W. Parry, F. Court, W. Britland, R. B. Robertson, W. B. Martin, W. Dalzeill, C. T. Richardson, W. I. Armstrong, H. H. Mawley. Arch Clark, Mrs. S. Fletcher and Miss C. McKenny.

The Department of Health forwarded a circular letter containing the scale of salaries, which it was proposed should be paid to nursing staffs with a view to obtaining uniformity throughout the Dominion. It was resolved that the board considered that uniformity in nursing salaries was a step in the right direction. The proposed scale was approved by the board, with the exception of the payments to pupil nurses, which was considered too low.

Mr. Fisher said that most of the board’s salaries were on the same scale as those paid by other Dominion boards The salaries they were paying pupil nurses, however, were higher than those~paid by most other boards. Miss McKenny favoured paying to pupil nurses of what she termed “a decent living wage.” She moved that in future a uniform salary be paid to pupil nurses in place of the present graduated scale over the three years of training. Mrs. Fletcher seconded the motion, which was lost on the voices.

The Director-General of Health forwarded authority for bank overdraft, up to September, 1933, of £7,000. In reply to an inquiry by the board, the Director-General advised that it was within the power of hospital boards to supply glasses to children of indigent parents. It was decided that every application for glasses for school children be referred to the Medical Superintendent for a recommendation. The Wairarapa Hockey Association was granted a lease of the large paddock facing Te Ore Ore Road for a period ending July, 1937, at a rental of £lB per annum. The board reserved the right to terminate the lease by giving six months’ notice. It was decided that the Women’s National Welfare League be thanked for providing seats for the hospital corridor and sunshades for patients in the phthisical ward. Mrs. Fletcher pointed out that two of the seats had been provided by the league and one by Mrs. H. E. Pither privately.

A circular letter was received from the Nurses and Midwives’ Registration Board, regarding the standard of education for pupil nurses. It was recommended that as far as possible a high education standard should be maintained in nurses’ training schools. It was resolved that Mr. G. Master’s tender of £9l be accepted for renovating the operating theatre at the Masterton Hospital and that the work be put in hand immediately. The man-aging-secretary (Mr. N. Lee) reported that the Unemployment Board had granted a subsidy of £l4 on the labour in connection with the work. It was reported that repairs, estimated to cost £9 10s were required to the wireless head ’phones at the Masterton Hospital. It was decided to apply for authority to carry out the repairs and charge the cost to unauthorised expenditure.

The Palmerston North an I Nelson Hospital Boards wrote stating that relief camps had been established in their districts and that men remaining in the camps for a period longer than six months established residential qualification. -It was decided that it be a recommendation to the Department of Health that Section 94 of the Hospitals and. Charitable Institutions’ Act be amended to provide that men sent forward to relief camps situated in other hospital districts be not permitted, on account of continued residence in such camps, to establish residential qualification.

A report showed that there were more patients in the Masterton Hospital during July than in the corresponding month last year. There were 89 patients in hospital on June 30, 114 were admitted during the month, 104 were discharged, and 5 died, leaving 94 in the institution on July 3L On June 30, 1932, 83 patients were in hospital, 95 were admitted during the month, S 3 were discharged, 10 died, leaving 85 in hospital at the end of the month. The daily average for July was 93.4, as compared with 89.6 on the i corresponding month last year. On J June 30 there were 5 patients in the I Greytown Hospital and 40 inmates in the Buchanan Home, and at July. 31 there were 8 patients in the hospital and 46 in the Buchanan Home. The daily average at the Pahiatua Hospital was 18, as against 15 for the corresponding month last year.