OLD PEOPLE’S HOME PROJECT: HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 29, 12 March 1948, Page 4

OLD PEOPLE’S HOME PROJECT: HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSION

Need for an old people’s home at Whakatane was stressed by Mr W. Caulfield and other members at the monthly meeting of the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board yesterday, when a committee consisting of the chairman, Mr J. Mullins, Mrs Sumner, Mr C. A. Suckling and the secretary, Mr F. Prideaux, was appointed to investigate the possibility of having the old Mission Hospital made available and to explore any other means of providing the needed accommodation.

Messrs. Caulfield and A. F. McGougan suggested the reviving of negotiations with Opotiki for a joint scheme and well as investigating all local avenues. It was pointed out by Mr Caulfield and Mrs D. E. Sumner that a hospital was not the proper place for old people who were not ill, and the former added that there were some at the moment actually occupying beds that could otherwise be made available for patients. Mr A. F. McGougan praised a Government residential scheme for old people at Auckland. He agreed with Mrs K. L. Caverhill, who had said it was not necessary to have an old people’s home near the hospital. Any inmates who became ill could be brought to the hospital. Mr Caulfield suggested the present hospital domestic quarters might be used after the projected building programme was completed, but the Board felt it should seek to have something done sooner than that.

Children’s Ward Problem A complaint concerning noise in the ward which now includes child patients was considered, and the consensus of opinion was that, short of opening a children’s ward, nothing much could be done. Mr L. Buddie suggested the staffing problem might be overcome by a roster of volunteers for service to the children, but it was pointed out by the secretary and the medical superintendent, Dr. E. T. Dawson, that the ward that could be used was at. present used as sleeping quarters for some of the nurses, to whom no alternative was available.

In view of that, it was decided nothing could be done until staff accommodation could be increased. Proposed Sanatorium

The chairman, Mr C. A. Suckling and the secretary were appointed delegates to a meeting of the provisional Sanatorium Committee at Hamilton on March 24. The meeting is to discuss agreement for the establishment, financing and control of a sanatorium at Hamilton to serve the Auckland, Waikato, Thames, Bay of Plenty and Opotiki Hospital Board areas. New Mortuary

Plans for the new mortuary were received from the Board’s architect and approved. They are to be forwarded to the Health Department for its approval. Statistical Report

Dr. Dawson reported 129 patients admitted and 124 discharged during February. One died, and there were 35 births at the hospital. There were 6 major and 26 minor operations and 87 patients remained in the institution at the end of the month. Gifts Acknowledged

The matron, Miss K. Miller, acknowledged the following gifts: Children’s books: Mrs Coombs, Misses Margaret Coates and Lynette Hampton, Messrs Fermah, Garry Stevenson and Cedric Revere. Magazines: Waimana Women’s Institute, Mesdames Timbs, C. Aitken, Servat and C. Pearson. Flowers: Mesdames Seebeck and Baker and Miss Campbell. Fruit: Mesdames Ewart and Hawkin, Messrs Ruddick, and A. F. McGougan.

Those Present Mr J. Mullins (chairman), Mesdames D. E. Sumner, K .L. Caverhill, Messrs C. A. Suckling, A. F. McGougan, W. Caulfield, L. Buddie and the secretary, Mr F. Prideaux, attended the meeting.