HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 12

HOSPITAL PATIENTS.

CONDITIONS OP ADMISSION. 4BSOCIATIOX TELBOBJOI ) WELLINGTON, November 27. In future before patients are admitted to the Wellington Hospital they will be required to sign a statement to the effect that they understand that the Hospital does not accept any liability Bhould they contract any diseaso while in the institution. "I think you know the purpose of this," said the chairman, Mr P. Castle, at a meeting of. the Board to-day, when the proposal was brought forward by tho general committee. The object, he said, was to bring under the notice of tho public the fact that the Board did not accept legal responsibility for any disease contracted by a patient after his or her admission to the Hospital. Sometimes cases of cross-infection occurred and it was not easy to trace the source of infection. There were some people who tried to place the blame upon tho Hospital. That was hardly fair to the staff, as every precaution was taken to prevent infection. Mr A. J. McCurdy: Sometimes it is contracted from visitors. Tho chairman: Quite bo. Tho source may be external. Mr J. H. Helliwell suggested that the question was of sufficient importance to be discussed by the annual conference of the Hospital Boards' Association. Mr C. M. Luke said he believed several hospitals had adopted the practice now proposed in Wellington. Mr Ilelliwell: I think it should bo incorporated in legislation.