ADVISORY BODY ON HOSPITALS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 15

ADVISORY BODY ON HOSPITALS

Proposal Thought “ Dangerous ”

Support for the contention of Miss M. B. Howard, M.P., that a proposal to introduce legislation IP. the coming session to establish a hospitals advisory council was dangerous, was given by the <Dr. L. C. L. Averill) xr meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. Discussing the proposed representation on the council, Miss Howard said the Treasury would spend nothing and the Ministry of Works was “as slow as a wet week.” The Director-General of Health was to be chairman of the council to advise the Minister. The proposal was dangerous.

“It is loaded against us all the time,” she said. “I don’t like this move. I think it is bad. It looks as if it is the beginning of the end of hospital boards. It arises out of the consultation committee’s report and it looks to me that our autonomy is going to be badly knocked, as the council is to have initiative powers. Executive’s Proposal “I think it is quite unnecessary. It will have the effect of blocking anything from hospital boards,” she said. Dr. Averill said he thought Miss Howards remarks were very much to ttie point and were also his impressions. He understood from talks to delegates to the hospitals conference that the suggested council had come from the executive of the Hospital Boards Association. The council seemed to him to be another “buffer.” Miss Howard: That is a serious statement. What right have they to move without referring it to the rank and file members? It would be far exceeding their powers. The board would “just have to wait,” said Dr. Averill when he was asked what action should be taken.