AUTHORITY GIVEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 90, 17 July 1945, Page 5

AUTHORITY GIVEN

PRIVATE PRACTICE PERMITTED LOCAL HOSPITAL OFFICER At its meeting last Thursday # the Whakatane Hospital Board decided to authorise the recentlyappointed House Surgeon, Dr. to practice privately in his own apart from hospital duties. [ This decision, was arrived at fol- | lowing a discussion regarding the obvious-lack of medical facilities throughout the district and the ex--9 of the hope that tlie action of the Board might relieve the present serious shortage. The chairman pointed out that the expected assitance from the Rehabilitation Fund had not materialised and it was necessary for Dr. Whittle to augment the salary upon which he was engaged by the Board or else seek a more i-emunerative position. Members agreed, that providing any private practice indulged in by the doctor did not .interfere with hospital duties, there could be no repurcussions. Mr McCready contended that it had riot taken the Board long to change its mind. A few months ago ; it had declared the desperate need for a full-time House Surgeon at. the hospital. Now it had no qualms in giving the officer engaged the right to take on private practice as well. The chairman said, he would be quite satisfied in granting the request as he maintained that in all local bodj 7 affairs, members should be guided by circumstances as they existed and then to make a decision 9 to the best of their ability. The linal motion moved by Mr Mullins was that Dr. Whittle, be 9 given the right -to private practice in his time off providing hospital duties wtere always regarded as priority number one. Mr McCready's was the only vote recorded against the motion.