CONTROL OF HOSPITALS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 8 March 1932, Page 11

CONTROL OF HOSPITALS.

RESTORING THE SYSTEM. CASE FOR LEGISLATION. (specially wbitten fob the pbess.) [By Ri Cami-bell Begg.] The plan for reorganisation of hospitals that has been suggested and supported by the Wellington Hospital Board has been described as drastic, and wild terms such as "destroying our hospital system" have been used about it. How little drastic it is can be seen by the small amount of legislation required to implement it. Indeed the < term "restoring our hospital system" would be its best description, for much of what has grown into the present administration is simply excrescence which conceals the simplicity of the original plan. A Natural Development. . The Board of Hospitals was not contemplated in the, year 1909 when the - Act was first drafted, but neither was the increasing complexity- of the Health administration and the difficulties .of applying, the extraordinary, advances in. medical science. That the Health Department must now; . be strengthened by a section dealing solely with hospitals is a natural development, and twenty-four years / of administration of the Act have proved its necessity. -The Hospitals and Charitable Institutions • Act Consolidated, 1926, consists of -156 sections and eight schedules. Subsequent amending Acts deal with amalgamation of * districts such as Picton with Wairau. A large number of the .sections of the Act and the fifth schedule deal with special provisions made for separate boards and . districts. These all interfere with*:the . simplicity of working and should be eliminated. In order to constitute the new, eighteen districts it would be necessary* only to alter schedule 1., which specifies the present areas, ; with an extra schedule establishing the class Af and class B base hospitals. The method by which the new districts wQuld secure their representation is embodied In the present. Act, section 10, paragraphs. „ 5,. 6, and 7. ■ - v "- The Board of . . Hospitals would ap- • pear in that section of .the Health Act, 1920, which names the component parts of the Health Department, and its functions and powers would be specified in the Hospitals Act by altering those paragraphs which relate to powers of the Minister ' which would bej taken over by the Board' of Hospitals and adding any necessary sections in respect to the functions of that T>ody, together with provision" for appeal against its decisions should that ; v be considered advisable, Seasons for Urgency. . ' The main provisions of the Act would ' remain unaltered.* The Wellington Hospital Board urged that the matter tie taken up during the emergency session, and for several reasons. In ' the first place it seemed probable that the social services as a whole would be disSussed at this session,* and it was desirable that those interested should have time to consider this or any other constructive scheme so . as to be able to give a "considered opinion if requested. In the second place hospital boards are required to make their estimates for the year in April, though doubtless this matter could be adjusted later. ' ■ ( Lastly, and-most important, it was known that the deplorable state of the national finances would be disclosed at this session, and that, the position-was so immeasurably serious, and beyond all precedent, that the "most drastic and revolutionary reduction in the money available for hospitals was a probability and the situation would require immediate adjustment. A hospital ' boards' conference was opposed early last month becaiise it was believed that the discussion of a large series of remits woiild not be of material advantage. It may be that a conference called in Wellington, at which every member would be fully acquainted with: the solemn crisis which the country must face, would now be productive of good in strengthening the hands of -the Government. It woujd only be effective if every delegate were prepared to bring what constructive suggestions he could to meet the emergency, and to examine in the most sympathetic ' and 'unbiased way t the proposals of others. One thing is .* certain, that whatever can done the sooner it is accomplished the better. Procrastination in matters of economy may be venial at other times, but at present it is the solvency of New Zealand that is af stake. Delay in meetinj national crisis usually spells disaster. •The. only permissible order of referenee ♦at puch a conference would be how ts effect drastic' -reductions in expenditure wMle Maintaining or increasing : efficiency .