HOSPITAL EXTENSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 411, 21 January 1909, Page 4

HOSPITAL EXTENSION.

ACA!N DISCUSSED. . Minutes of the recent conference between the Wellington District Hospital Board and . the Wellington Hospital Trustees were read at a meeting of the former body yesterday morning, and general dissatisfaction was expressed at the lack of information tendered by the trustees in regard to their proposals for extensivo :.and costly hospital- improvements. -..-'• The Chairman (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P.) , Declared himsjlf to bo not at all satisfied with the plans and information which had been put before the Hospital Board. In regard.to the fever hospital, he believed, that it was to.accommodate 32 patients, arid the cost (£15,000) Was altogether out of-propor-tion to the requirements. If a cost of. £500 ioreach bod was to. bo the basis of hospital maintenance throughout the Dominion, it would como to be a very serious problem indeed,'..He iipp-jd that the Hospital Trustees irpuld recast their plans in deference to the opinion of the Hospital Board, which had the wntrolling of the finance. He would not cut (town the efficiency of the hospital in any tray,, because it (of all institutions), must be equipped and furnished ill the most date manner. At the same time, be was'not going to be a party to any greater expenso than was absolutely necessary for the proper carrying out of the vork of the hospital. Ho held that the board arid "the trustees should again meet; view the site of vhe proposed •additions to the General Hospital, and confer as to lhe steps which. ougnt to 1-e ■ taken. In reg.vd io the proposal to establish a convalescent home at the Hutt, Mr. Luke, was convinced that si ch a move would bo in the best interests of patients. They would be taken away,from-the ordinary hospital surroundings po new ■scenes, and this would.be of benefit in assisting them"towards recovery.'. He. considered it■: a good proposal -to put up a wooden building;,having:a'small 'cottage hospital associated with.it. "' .',. .!■'-'' , Mr. J. ,W. .M'Ewan .remarked, that'.l7s put-patients from tho Hutt Volley had been treated at the Wellington Hospital, and the ' number of' in-patients who had received attention, ■was IS9. Taking, the in-pationts alone, this was- nearly one-twelfth of tho total.number of cases admitted to the hospital; The Chairman said that there were rather more than 10,000 people.-in the'Hutt Valley, and they had as much, right to he considered in the matter of hospital convenience as tho 40,000 or 50,000 people in Wellington., Mr; - M'Ewan , added ■' that: during eight .months, 72 of the patients admitted" to the Otaki Hospital had come from the Valley, and. for the year the number- would be about 130. ' , : .. ... ;. Mr. C. J; Crawford urged that some comprehensive scheme of hospital:extension was needed, .'The board, he said, should endeavour to get, from the Hospital Trustees'firsthand; information from: which, they could form: some conclusions. The recent conforence,: said Mr. -Crawford, was'as unsatisfac-. tory. as any other he had ever, attended. Beyond some information which Mr. Kirk had:supplied,.the board had obtained nothing upon which ;they could come to any decision at Vail.' .Ho (Mr. Crawford) ' ; h.ad,;left .the conffjrahco in doubt as. to: the ( ,aqf;uxil. : . r,c-,, ;.quire'monts :.of.-!.-tlie trustees, as>; 'rioy.rfesl'ly • :Compreh6nsiv.euscheme was submitte'dsisSheyi' •had -be<m toldv.that certain thing's v ''werel'a public scandal; iut. suoh - statements 'were' by' no means calculated to guide-the'board in regard to. the;.proposed'; expenditure. Ho would bo very reluctant to do anything which would delay whatever extensions to the hospital might.be' found necessary,' but-the.Hos-.'represented, the -ratepayers; and before they were, asked to endorse any re-commendations-for oxtehsion,' they should have the' fullest information. The trustees had so. far. given 'them no real evidence at .all,and v he: thought that the two bodies ought, to'confer again,-go'thoroughly into tho mat-'' •tor, and Propound,some'definite scheme. ' '■/ Mr. M'Ewari: Tho-'trustees' have not 'finally' •made upthbirvmind./ ■;;' •■; - ' : ' : :', ■'■.':•' . Mr.': Crawford: askedljwhy the .trustees had'' hot tak.eh.'the bparji i.Btb" confidence; ,Mem-' : bers ; of-the .bdard,! were, quite "prepared-,to confer-with''themi'on equal'terms'; '. ' -" ' .... Mr, M'Ewan thought, that tho time had arrived when they should specialise in their hospital work.' r.At Otaki, , during twelve, months; there tad. been 48 major operations, and 112 esses'which required no operation; Undoubtedly,some ',of the latter patients could have beon treated'in .a' smaller insti-' tution. than'.the'general hospital., Mr. M; Murdoch pointed out that a huge expenditure was asked, for, which the board ought not to .sanction until full particulars were laid.'before: them.,-A conference .should -be .held an.di'the requirements.outl-inc'difu'Uyi; - .Mr. J. Gpdbor;remarked that tlm; spending,-< of .£ooo.'por.'.bed-.savoured-very muoli < bf I '.g'ross:,•extravagance..'.-•: '~' ••'■•, -' -.- ; ••;,itmn;!,iK'vV Mr.. Kirk'said'that, ho appreciatedtlie posi-. tion. taken up by the Hospital Board, and' be did not seo that the'.board could deal with "the matter, on the' information : which thoy, had received." This'had been the first conference .-between: the, two boards, and Mr. Kirk, urged tho desirability' of having an-, other discussion... The ..trustees did not ex-pect'-that, bn.the.ono conference, the board would pass their demands. They themselves . felt, that the; matters - touched on would require to. be .gone into again, Further meet--ings > of. the trustees*,;were'.being held, and a more definite schehjo. with . regard'to the fever hospital would bo ;submitted to a later conference, and no .doubt information would be given regarding the. extensions of the mam hospital. Speaking as a member of both boards, he realised that.-a fever' hospital was required, but waß convinced that the expenditure could be.cut. down.-: /He had consulted medical men,-and had been led to believe that the cost could be reduced t0£11,000,. £11,000,. whereaß, if the-original scheme of . the-Healtlr Department-for a fever hospital were; carried put; it would involve £20,000. ' ■ Thei; chairman considered .that' the .trustees had shown a want of courtesy to the Hpspi-' tal Board in asking them to negotiate with the. district 'for.' £30,000 .'or £40,000 without in some.- .way consulting .them in reference - to tho plans they were going to bring forward. The. sooner the whole thing, was\ rearranged'and it'was; shown to "the' House' that ■& -division' of the''control of/hospitals' ; was • unworkable," the better it would'. bo for all concerned. Before going to the Prime Minister they should have! another conference with the Hospital Trustees. He would move that the Hospital Trustees' be'asked to meet them in conference at .the earliest date possible, ■in order that they i might learn more on the .whole matter; ■;' - The'motipnwas'carried.'•