HOSPITAL MATTERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 51, 18 August 1939, Page 7

HOSPITAL MATTERS

PATIENTS FROM GALATEA STUDYING FIRE RISK The Bay of Plenty Hospital Boanl held its monthly meeting ie Borough Chambers yesterday morning. Those present were Mr J. W. Sumner (chairman), Messrs C. A. Suckling, F. J. Burt, R. W. SchoF. J. Savage, Dr E. T. Daw t son medical superintendent, and Mr F. Prideaux, secretary. Apologies i'or absence were received from Messrs L. Buddie, W. A. and McGougan. The Department of Health advised that where an inmate of the hospital was examined by medical officers# for the issue of a certificate for medi eal benefits under the Social Security Act no charge should be made", persons applying at the hospital for examination, should pay a small fee, 2s 6d being suggested. A report on fire risks in hospitals was received. It dealt with the risk in the various divisions of a hospital and suggested necessary equipment. It,was decided to refer the matter of fire protection and the provision of fire escapes to the Finance Comwhich will report to the next meeting on the application of the recommendations to the Whakatane Public Hospital. A letter from the North Canterbury Hospital Board notified that the fees for patients from outside districts had been raisecf. The boaid dccided to make the rate for patients from another district the same as the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board v, as charged by the patient's own board. GALATEA PATIENTS. Reference to the position of Galatea, Murupara and Te Whaiti patients came when a letter was iead from the Whakatane County Com.' cil. requesting the board to indicate if some arrangements could be made with the Waikato Hospital Board to receive patients from the Galatea district when communication, was cut Avith Whakatane oAving to the flooding of the Kopuriki Stream and the condition cf the Te Teko-Galat-ca Road. Mr F. J. Burt said that Avlien the Kopuriki Stream was 5n flood it was possible to get tc Whakatane by AA'ay of Murupara. This might take an hour more but patients would have to go to Murupara in any case in order to get to Rotorua. Mr C. A. Suckling thought 'Jliat any formal arrangement AA*ould encourage people to go to Rotorua. Mr R. W. Schofiehl agreed that anything official would do this. Too many patients AA'ere already going to Rotorua, although the Rotorua Hospital had been told only to take urgent cases. Mr J. W. Sumner said that they must stiffen up rather than, allowtoo many people to go to Rotorua, I as each patient admitted there cost the board 6s a day* On Mr Suckling's motion it was decided that the council be that in the board's opinion for the .admission of urgent cases to Rotorua already existed, and no further arrangement seemed necessary. CUTTING PINE TREES. It AA T as decided to make arrangements to cut down the pinus insignis trees at the hospital, the Whakatan? Paper Mills having advised that it Avouid not tie a payable proposition for it to mill them. Dr Dawson, when dining accommodation, for the nursing staff was discussed, said 1 that the rieSV buildwould m£an la'forger* stsftf^.and this' either 'meant' " more acco'mmodjXf tion or a rela\r ; system fer" meals..-, A partial relay system already operated. He \Aas 'instructed to this. ' ••' » --' • •