HOSPITAL COST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1730, 22 April 1913, Page 4

HOSPITAL COST.

PUBLIC'S BIG BILL. "NO KNOWING WHERE IT WILL END." PENALTY OF KEEPING UP-TO-DATE. . In view of tho interesting information vhivh J, ils hoeti published in respect to (lie heavy increases in the levies on contributing Jocal bodies for hospital ~m i charitable aid work in Wellington, fur(her information was sought ycMeiday lrom (he treasurer of tlio Wclliii"(n'iV "■l'd Hospiia! Charitable Aid Board (Mr J . Baldwin) who frankly admitted thai; tho cost to local bodies was increasing substantially, and <huf (here was'sio knouing whero it would end. Asked io s ato as nearly as possible the causc-s for o increased levies,.Mr. Baldwin attribuled.it lo two main factors: (1) Tlio necessity of keeping up-to-date, and (2) I lie .increase in the number of patienls (jnsido and outside) attended to at the Hospital. "The Hospital has a vcrv good name, said Mr. Baldwin, "and \\o (vr to retain (hat good name. To do so we must keep up-to-date, and (hat costs money. 1 don't know whether an increase in tho number of patients means a grow, lug confidence in tho institution on tho part ot tho public, or if it is a desire lo get, free> medical attendance. Perhaps it is both. Mr. Baldwin quoted the follow, nig ngiirns to show the increase in (bo uunibi.r of patients treated:~ lii-Paliouts. ,nnr rcrdipiu. Year* total. » 1«« 2.1 M . 218 2,3} in V 9M 2.BSS 2,7110 ' bllO 7<J|i :uni 1312 'Jf,s 1513 2IW 1,061 Out-Pnticuts. 1906 % n W 1007 ' 2,568 li y! 1808 2.C17 s'&tr' ISS !jg ::::::::::::: S !;;§ 1313 VOS 17,031. '

These figures, Mr. Baldwin explained, tverc for {ho year, ondiug Starch 31. Consequent upon the increasing number of patients, tho cost of stores and fcoil-stuffs wont rip. flip n&timoie for'meat this TO, r c * an, pfc» X'iOSI, OS acainM; f9W last year, Butter hps to co.U i'MIO instead of cC7jO. This, perhaps, needed dji explanation, and that was that, acting on advice, tho steward hud purchased a lar.ie lot when tho price was drtwn, and wo* Keeping it in cold store. Thev were even now saving from lid. per lb. on the existing prico of butter through' that mo\e, and the year end would see tho benefit of tho action taken. Bread and flour for the present year was' estimated to cost .£5Ol, as against .£332 • last vear. Drugs would cost .£ISOO instead of .£13011; wines .£216, as against: (but somebody had got a rap ever (he knuckles about, that item), furniture had decreased frwn -Clio'l to -C 305, and lighting from .USSI to JM.

Mr. Baldwin said' that the estimate* for tho current year included the cost of a good many works which would not recur. . Somo of the lavatories in the old (general) hospital had io be' pulled down and re-erected to make them sanitary, and further accommodation had to 1m provided for tho medical staff lipstairs in tho same building. A sura of JifiUO was provided as salary for a bacteriologist; .£2OO as salary for another engineer; and tho medical superintendent had Ijeen given an increase of".£100 a year. Salaries hud 1 increased ' 4JTSSS "this/-j-ear. That amount included the .£3OO for the visiting nurses, .£2OO for an extra- engineer, .£IOO increase for the superintendent (who nan now in receipt of ,£IOOO a year). - Other expenditure deemed necessary (his year was as follows:—New electric, lift, <£250; paintitg roofs, .£SO;. new jacketing copper for dispensary. .£31); newmotor for freezing chamber, <1'60; sum' set. aside as salaries for two nurses who were to visit, tho liouies o[ consumptives and advise them as to their modo or living, ,£300; improvements to Seddon Shelters, .£200; two new washing machines, .£250; fitting up of diphtheria ward, .£200; uiolor ambulance (especially for !he use of outside districts), .£500: erection of voroudiilm and balconies at the general hospital. ,£850; and ,£(>00 interest and sinking fund oil tho .£IO,OOO loan for the new pathological block.

Respecting Uiu amount to be spent in the erection of verandahs and balconies at. the General Hospital, Mr. Baldwin said that it was proposed to build glassed-in balconies at the old hospital 011 the same lines as tlio one at the Victoria Hospital for Chronic Invalids. By doing' I his they would b» providing sun-rooms for convalescents, and it was estimated! that it would also provide spaco for twenty additional beds. The JjGOO to Ira paid on the ,£IO,OOO loan for tlio pathological block represented interest and capital, and meant that tho loan would bo paid off in 33 years. Mr. Baldwin gave tlio assurance that' ovcrvtliing was watched as carefully aspossible. Nearly all the standard lines of stores and goods were tendered for, and tho estimated requirements wero scrutinised and inquired into before any final tfcp was taken. There .were, .however, certain things asked for as essential to tue equipment of tho hospital upon which he could not express an opinion, but lis thought that nothing but what was really needed was asked for by the Biail. _ I'imilly there was 0110 item which no thought tlie public knew little or nothing about, and that was tho sum of set down in the estimates for tho mauijxmanoa of orphan children (which came Under charitable nid expenditure). Last year this work cost £5017, but another A2CB was needed this year. Mr. Baldwin s view generally was that tho expenditure cotilil. unlv bo curtailed at. tho expense of the efficiency of the various institutions.