CHILDREN'S WARD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 55, 20 May 1942, Page 4

CHILDREN'S WARD

Sir, —It is indeed regrettable thatv before publishing your article headed as above in last Monday's issue of your paper you did not make some effort to become better ac-' quaintecl with the subject matter. I have ascertained, that no representative of your paper has solicited information from the Superintendent or Matron nor attended, the hospital for the purpose of checking such information as you have received which prompted you to describe the conditions as "a bedlam of motion, screams, yells and noises of all descriptions." If ycrwSl had made enquiries or personally investigated the position I feel sure that you would have published a very different article and would not have indulged in such extravagant phraseology. Your article is unfair to the hospital staff and maiy be . construed as inferring that the Hos--pital Board has been unmindful of the position. There is need for a children's ward at the hospital. That need has become, apparent within the last twelve months and the Hospital Board knew it. The Board also f" knows that there is pressing need for enlargement of the women's ward, for increased kitchen and staff dining accommodation and for enlargement of the Nurses' Home for enlargement of the Laundry and Boiler Room Block and for the erec-i tion cf other important accommodation. If you or your representative had attended the Board meetings during the last twelve months! , you would have had knowledge of the Board's programme and of the difficulties resulting from the sudden growth of hospital population following the introduction of Social Security Hospital Benefits, knowledge you should have had or obtained before publishing ail article which is critical of the hospital administration. This year's building programing includes the enlargement of the Women's Ward. Plans are in course of preparation and are to be considered by the Board early next month. All construction work has been postponed until completion of the Government's programme of Defence works but it is hoped that by the time the plans are approved by the Government Departments the ivay will be cleared for an immediate start with construction work. Upon completion of the Women's Ward there should be more room available for the segregation of juvjnile patients. It is hoped: that that vill alleviate the position .until' ;uch time as the Board can proceed vith the construction of a Child•en's Ward on an approved site. Yours etc.. L.. BUDDLE,

J Chairman B. of P. Hospital Board. (While we appreciate our correspondent's natural concern regarding the possibility of any reflection which may lie casit upon the Boartl in this matter, we feel nevertheless that the position as he more or less admits at the foot of his letter is fast becoming intolerable. We did not seek to cast any blame upon the Board which as most people already realise has become the unfortunate victim of circumstances. We have no apologies to make with regard to the source of our information which we consider to have been reliable and in true alignment with fact. This avc might add has since been borne out by the number of ex-pati-ents who have gratuitously ed to us similar the article was published. We faW to see how our article could have been construed as unfair to the. stall', for whom Ave intended but the greatest .sympathy andi understanding of their unenviable jiosition. "When hoAvever a patient has to be hurried home in a state of complete nervous prostration as a result of such conditions, it is surely time to say something. Readers will be glad to learn of the proposed new women's ward now under consideration and if by our own efforts avc have assisted* towards hastening its? constructions we are sure that our correspondent will agree that we have nothing to be asihamed of. Ed.) (Continued in previous column)