HOSPITAL MATTERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 15, 11 April 1947, Page 5

HOSPITAL MATTERS

. APRIL MEETING OF BOARD CHILDREN’S WARD PROBLEM Mr J. Mullins presided over the April meeting of the Whakatane Hospital Board held in the Borough Council Chambers yesterday. Present Messrs. A. F. McGougan, J. P. Caulfield, C. A. Suckling, F. J. Burt, H. C. MeCready, J. Mitchell and the Secretary, Mr F. Prideaux. The works committee’s report and recommendations were read and adopted. Mr Suckling-for the Visiting Committee said that in practically every instance patients spoke very highly of the service they received, though complaints were definitely voiced regarding the noise from the children in the men’s ward. Both he and Mr Buddie had come away with very firm ideas regarding the necessity for re-opening the old women’s ward for accommodating the children separately. Messrs. Burt and Caulfield were appointed Visiting Committee for April. Superintendent's Report The Medical Superintendent, Dr. E. T. Dawson, produced the statistical report for March as under: Patients at March Ist, 82 (36 male, 46 females); admissions 146 (54 and 92); discharges 134 (48 and 86); ■deaths 3 (1 and 2); patients at end •of March’9l (41 and 50); births 36 (16 and 20); operations major 6, minor 52. The daily average occupied beds over the month was 82.94. Generating Plant Failure In the course of the engineer’s report it was shown that the standby generating plant had been called into commission when the first power cuts were imposed and had run satisfactory until struck by lightning during a storm towards the end of March.

The secretary added that the position had been most acute until it had been found possible to secure a plant belonging to the Air Force at Te Awamutu, on hire. Though not as good as the old plant it was nevertheless meeting the whole of the lighting demand of the hospital and was running at a cost of 3/3 per hour.

The chairman paid a tribute to the co-operation of the engineering staff •of the Paper Mills, members of which had given the greatest assistance during the emergency and were now re-winding the armature. Training School Reinstated A communication from the Nurses and Midwives Registration Board intimated its decision to rescind its previous action suspending the B grade training school at the Whakatane Hospital and to review the whole matter again next August. T.B. Sanatorium ....The Waikato Hospital Board notified with regard to the proposed new South Auckland T.B. Sanatorium, that it was intended calling a meeting of delegates from interested boards.

The matter received a mixed reception, members asking whether the proposed Hillcrest scheme would hold sufficient benefit for the Whakatane district to warant the board’s interest.

Mr Suckling pointed out that Whakatane’s proportion of patients would only be \5 to 8 beds, which would scarcely effect the local position and therefore would not warrant a heavy contribution. Mr McCready also said that there was a big body of public -opinion strongly against the site selected and this had still to be .clarified. Overalls For Nurses Responding to enquiries made last month regarding the supplying of overalls to members of the nursing staff, the Thames, Stratford, Timaru and Waikato Boards intimated a varying degree of meeting the new demand. This ranged from supplying 12 overalls to all members as at Thames to the ordinary uniform issue (seven) as at Timaru. It was obvious that' no hard and fast practice was observed. The Board decided to await a reply from the Hospital Boards’ Association before committing itself. Matron’s Resignation Miss D. M. Runciman who has been matron at the hospital for a long term notified that she desired to be relieved of her duties as from August 10, when she would automatically retire on superannuation. She intimated that she' desired to co-operate with the Board in appointing a successor by giving a longer term of notice than usual. The Board decided to advertise the position and to seek the co-op-eration of the Director of the Nursing Division in making a new appointment.