Emergency Cases Only For Neurosurgical Unit

Chronicle (Levin), 1 February 1949, Page 5

Emergency Cases Only For Neurosurgical Unit

r Press Assoiiation)

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DUNEDIN, Jan. Ji. - From tomorrow the neurosurgical unit at the Dunedin Public Hospital will be unable to accept other than emergeney cases. All patients in urgent need of operational treatment will be admitted as usual, the chairman of the Otago Hospital Board', Dr. A. S. Moody, said tonight. The neurosurgical unit comprises Mr. Murray Falconer and his assistant surgeon and anaestlxetist. It deals with al) patients in New Zealand from Palmerston North to the far south, who are in need of specialist operations 011 the brain and spine. No successor has been appointed to the unit's anaesthetist who has resigned after giving some months' notiee, a situation being ereated for which thc*^ Hospital Board declares the Govern ment is wholly responsible. The chairman of the board has re ceived the following letter from Mr. Falconer: "I am afraid that as after tomorrow, we shall haye no anaesthetist appointed to the neurosurgical unit for : fulltime duty. We shall not be able to ' carry on our routine work. We shall, I however, make every effort to deal with 1 such emergeney cases as may be sent 1 to us for Dr. John Eitchie (the newlv appointed part-time Director of Anaesthetics in the public hospital) has kind ly made arrangements to help us witli these cases. I" shall notify northeru hospitals when I visit them this week. I defeply regret the present situation but I appreeiate the efforts you are making to secure a competent anaesthetist for us. 1 hope the matter may be speedily settled so that we can re , snme our normal work. ' ' "I should like," said Dr. Moody, "to give" the public the most definite assurance that no case- of urgency where life may b.e endangered by delav, will be refused treatment by the neurosurgical unit. This department of the public hospital deals, as the public knows. with cases of a most serious kind ancl it is the intention of the board no less than of .the hospital stkff, thaf these will not suffer nor the life of a single patient be jeopardised because of the unfortunate situation in which we have been placed. " "Meanwhile," Dr. Moody said, "the position is as it was when the board first decided that it must be brought before the public. The neurosurgical unit must carry on to the best of its ability without a specialist anaesthetist in this work and with no prospect 0. getting one until the, Minister ot Health, Miss Howard, or Cabinef, which appears to be hanrlling or mishandling tlie matter, will enable the Hospital Board to seek one at a salary adequate to attract a properly qualiliecl man. ' '