HOSPITAL FEES
RIGHTS OF LOCAL BODIES REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION At the meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, leld yesterday afternoon, Mr. H. Black, representing the Hutt and Eastbourne Boroughs, moved (according to notice) as follows :—
"That (he following resolution passed by the board at the meeting on June 2G, 1919, he rescinded:—'That the boiud do not accede to the request the Lower Hu t Borough Council for information ..I'ding: (1) The names and address.. »i each patient from the borough dealt with at this Hospital; (2) the actual expenditure incurred in connection with each patient; (3) the actual amount collected from each patient, also a detailed statement of the Kame nature as the above dealing with the charitable aid expenditure/ and that the above information for year ended March 31, 1919, be now supplied." Mr. Black contented himself with moving the motion only. Rev. H. van Staveren started to ma feet. . ' . The chairman: Do you second the motion? Mr. vnn Staveren (with emphasis): No, I do not! /The chairman: Then you cannot speak —until it is seconded. Mr. F. T. Moore, who seconded tho motion, said that he could not see why contributing local bodies should noi. ba eupplied with the' names' , and addresses of those- inmates of the Hospital who were not voluntarily paying the fees. He argued that the local authority was the most competent judge as to whether such payments should be forced or ten off. And such moneys when eoilected could be used against the annual levy made by the hoard. Now they had a new department and a registrar in Mr. Bobinson, the information could be easily supplied. He did not au-ree that "the names of those receiving free hospital treatment should be regarded as strictly confidential. The local authority should know who such people were,, and authority should be given them to collect such moneys to_meet the levy. These levies were becoming a tremendous burden, especially to the smaller local bodies.' He hoped the motion would r he carried. If it was, it naturally followed that other local' bodies would wish to he supplied with tho same information. After all, it was public money, and they should know on whose behalf it was being spent. There should bo nothing secret about, the spending of public moneys. Mr. H. van Staveren strondy or nosed the motion. Mr. Black was there rcpiesenting the Hutt and Eastbourne (to which borough he paid rates), but he was there as a representative of the city, and to guard the feelings,of those in receipt of free hospital treatment or charitable aid. They had no right to publish names so that any boy or girl could be jibed at by others with the fact that their parents were so Duor that they could not pay their Hospital fees. It was not-their fault, but I heir misfortune that it was so. The bomd had no business to reveal; anything of the kind-they needed to guard the cbiiuao ter and feelings of the poor as well us they could. ' • - . Mr. J. W. M'Ewan said it was lmv.tjseible <o say how much each pnricnt m the Hospital cost. As a borough council remitted rates on special occasions, in camera, so should they consiiU'f the patients of the Hospital or recipients of charitable aid-entirely confidentially. Mrs. Aitken was also against the motion. The Hutt was asking too -aacn. The chairman (Mr. F. Castle) bail that already the number of patients fro.oi the Hutt, and the amount they shou:d vny, had been supplied the Hutt Bi rough, but they wore not satisfied—tiioy vanted to know exactly what eacii one cosr. Mr. A. J. M'Curdy:,How nifiny eggs, hiow much bacon. . ' Mr. Castle said that a patient rriylit want'poultry one day, and cuuld not eat even an egg the next. He did not know'the object'of such a return. Mr. C. M. Luke smynatlnsed with Mr. Black, but the request was impossible— it was impossible clerically. Not only the other small bodies, but AVi'iUngton City would "be entitled to such information, and it would require a yeiy big staff to take out'the exact cost of 'each patient, week by week, /and m.mth bv month. It might be considered feasible for the Town Clerk of a contributins body to have the right to qive their collectors assistance in sifting wine of'the cases, but the work was now being more thoroughly done than ever be°Mr. Black said/'.tat the underlying motive of the Borough Council was to cut down the , cost or hospital expenditure. The levies were rising yror by I year until they were nppaiUui;. U we information were given, the cases could be sifted, and the authorities- would bo in. a better position to say who were i>ble to pay. There wns a lot in wr.ai Mr. Moore had said about the assistance local bodies could give. _ ; ! The. motion was negatived unanimously; not even the , mover and seconder voted for it.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 286, 29 August 1919, Page 8
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824HOSPITAL FEES Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 286, 29 August 1919, Page 8
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