MORE MATERNITY BEDS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 September 1946, Page 2

MORE MATERNITY BEDS

IIOSPITAL'S URGENT NEED "Tlic awM'agc occupicd bed iigurc slmu.s a considciablc reduclioji due to tln* idosing oi' Ward 10," stated the Mi'd.ijil Supcrintendent, Mr. J. II. .\urth, in n'purtiag to the Palmerston Xnii.li llusjiital Hoard meeting vesterdav. "The in I'eetious disoa.se iigurcs.s shnw a falling off in the admission of searjet fever and diphthoria eases. The mateniity hnine Jigures l'or the Palmerston Xnrtli and Foxton homes were higli i li nmg'.'ool the montli. The Otaki and Feilding linnies, wliile verv .full at tiines, have hud a lower oceupied bed rate. All the homes are heavily booked for the I'ollowiiig three months. " M r. Xcrth said tliat lie had received a toitoi- from Ihe Mediial OfHcor of Health reganling niaternity bed aceomniod.'Uion in the district and requesting tiiat beds should be available, if neeessnry, in the main liospital for some niaternity eases. Together with the Ma timi. Mit-s I.. M. Panks, he had ins(>ee lei! ihe Feilding, Foxton and Otaki .Matei iiii \ Homes. T'lie JViiuing liome eotild be iiu-reased by one bed when addit ious to tln1 stafi' bedroom were inade. The position at Foxton was fairly saiisfaetorv. Otaki was verv heavily booked for the next two months. " I niu proposing to inerease the mimber oi" permuiuMit beds at tliis liome I'rom eight to ten and jiossibly eleven, ns the aeeninmodation lends itself to this ini-rease with onlv minor adjnstiiients, " Mr. North eenrinned. ''At the Palmerston North home. by otilising

some oi' ihe Aute Natal Olinic rooins in tlie new portion, the beds niu be inereased by I'our. I)r. .M. 11. Watt, Direetor of tlu* Health Depart inent . and Dr. T. Lonie, District Medie.il ()f;ieer of Health, visited the liospital on Hepteinber ti and approced this arrangement. If necessary iiirllier beds wiil , have to be provided in ihe main hospi jtal and I have prepared the MoTIardy j Ward for this purpose should the i neeessity arisc. " The general statistics subiniHed bv j Mr. North for the montli of August were as fol low: Paticnts reniaining :it ! the end of .Tnly, .'>70; admilted dnring lAngust, ."i.'tS ; diseliarged, tlS.'i ; died. ^ti; Motai reniaining in liospital at the end |of August, ."102; daily nuinlier of occnIj'ied lieds, ltj.lti.