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36
ISOLATION HOSPITALS.
PREMISES.
Particulars of the hospitals were given in the Annual Report
for 1934.
ADMINISTRATION.
In last year's Report reference was made to the fact that the
question of nurses' hours and service conditions was considered
particularly with a view to the possibility of establishing a 96-hours'
fortnight for the nurses and for the domestic staff. At their
meeting on February 1st the Council adopted a recommendation
that:—(a) The working hours of the nursing and domestic staffs
in the Council Isolation Hospitals be reduced to 96 per fortnight;
and (b) that in order to render effective the policy the following
additional staff be appointed:—Six general trained staff nurses;
three ward maids ; and one kitchen maid.
The improved conditions of service of the staff, including
increased rates of pay, still failed to attract applicants for the
vacancies so that difficulties were found in implementing the
resolution of the Council with regard to the 96-hour fortnight.
Temporary appointments had to be made both of nurses and of
domestic workers at higher rates of pay than those payable to the
permanent staff. The Council then, at its meeting on May 31st,
approved the recommendation of the General Purposes Committee
increasing the rates of pay both of the nursing and of the domestic
staffs. Advertisements at the higher rates brought in greater
numbers of applicants than formerly, but the position even yet cannot
be considered satisfactory, and at no time has it been possible
to engage on the permanent staff the approved complement.
ADEQUACY OF ACCOMMODATION.
For most of the year the accommodation at the hospital
proved sufficient to meet the demands for beds for cases of scarlet
fever and diphtheria, though in early January, as had been the
case in the December of the previous year, it was found necessary
to send cases of diphtheria to other hospitals. On two occasions
the scarlet fever accommodation was over-strained and in March
10 cases had to be sent to outside hospitals and in May a further
16 patients.