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Estimated additional annual cost of a 48 hours' week for Nurses at the
Municipal Hospital.
The estimated additional cost of the institution of a 48 hours' week for nursing staff at the
Municipal Hospital is submitted as follows:—
2 Sisters at £85—£100 170
9 Staff Nurses at £70—£80 630
1 Probationer at £37—£39 37
837
There are at present 56 beds for Nurses at the Municipal Hospital and on the
assumption that there is no new Nurses' Home built, 16 nurses would require to live out.
The present living-out allowance is £60 per annum, so that the increased cost of this
provision would be in respect of the Municipal Hospital 16 less 4 (as 4 already live out)
x £60 = 720
If the salaries of probationer nurses at the Municipal Hospital are increased to, say,
for estimating purposes £45—£50 per annum, there would be an additional cost in respect
of the 40 probationer nurses to be employed of 40 X £8 = 320
To these costs a sum of 12 x £26 or £312 has to be added in respect of meals,
uniform, etc., provided in the Hospital while the 12 living-out nurses are on duty = 312
The cost of the Council's Superannuation Contribution and State Insurance would
be approximately 106
Total £2,295
Other Considerations at the Municipal Hospital.
There are certain matters in connection with the Nurses' Home which have a bearing on the
conditions of service of the Nursing Staff:—
(a) Matron.—At present the Matron is provided with a bath in her bedroom which is not a
satisfactory arrangement. In view of the fact that the present Matron will soon reach
retiring age, it is desirable to have better provision made before a new Matron is appointed.
(b) Sisters.—The Sisters' sitting-room measures 12 ft. 9 ins. by 12 ft. to accommodate nine Sisters
and the Dispenser. The size of this room is totally inadequate for the number of persons
using it.
(c) Staff Nurses.—At present the Staff Nurses have to share a sitting-room with the Probationers.
They ought to have their own sitting-room.
(d) Senior Sister and Sister Tutor.—Most hospitals provide a sitting-room for such a member of
the nursing staff who also acts as Deputy Matron and it would be desirable if provision
were made for such accommodation at the Willesden Municipal Hospital.
(e) Cloak Room for Nurses.—During cold and wet weather the nurses wear cloaks while
proceeding from the Home to the Wards or Mess-room. There is no adequate cloak-room
accommodation in the Home for these garments.
(/) Heating.—There is no provision for heating the older part of the Nurses' Home, and complaints
are made every winter regarding this.
Maternity Hospital.
The total nursing staff at the Willesden Maternity Hospital is as follows:—
1 Senior Sister and Sister Tutor.
4 Ward Sisters.
10 Staff Nurses.
15 Pupil Midwives.
Sisters on day duty do a 50 hours' week.
Sisters on night duty do a 66 hours' week.
Staff Nurses on day duty do a 54 hours' week.
Staff Nurses on night duty do a 66 hours' week.
Pupils on day duty do a 56 hours' week.
Pupils on night duty do a 75 hours' week.
To institute a 48 hours' week 1 Sister, 2 Staff Nurses and 5 Pupil Midwives would be required.
There has been no difficulty experienced at the Maternity Hospital in respect of obtaining sisters
but recently the College of Nursing have queried the conditions of appointment of staff nurses who
live out with the result that there has been difficulty recently in obtaining staff nurses. There has
never been any difficulty in obtaining pupil midwives.