Hospital Administration

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 202, 24 May 1944, Page 6

Hospital Administration

Sir,—ln recent public statements Mr. Croskery denied that his political party dominated the M’ellincton Hot, ; ntnl B >aUl in the years 1936 to 1941 and preceiliug the present board’s term of office. There is up escape from the fact that Mr. Castle, who had done splendid work as chairman, ami who knew aosoital n.imimstration thoroughly well, was In 1936 displaced by Mr. J. Glover: that Mr. troskery was elected chairman of Staff and House and Mr. Carman, chairman of Building Committee. We:e these gentlemen selected ns leading members of the board for any special reasons, except political ones? If it was believed they had special business and administrative qualifications they proved distressingly disappointing in the management of the huge institution the hospital has now become, for muddlenient and stagnation immediately followed their advent to office.

The board so led fiddled with the job of providing extra patient accommodation then urgently needed, and such work as it did carry out, including the stores block, was mismanaged. This politically dominated board produced costly plans, dug a huge hole in the hospital and drove a tew concrete piles; all for building proposals which did not proceed and were abandoned. During this period of frustration, overcrowding in the hospital proceeded apace and the waiting list mounted. In 1941 when the present board took office there were within the hospital 1114 bed patients crowded inlo a space which, under reasonable nursing conditions, was suitable for 610 beds: there were patients in Newtown School and elsewhere end-the waiting list numbered 2050.

There was no doubt in the minds of the electors in 1941 ns to where the blame for these renditions should be placed. Every single member whose first allegiance was to a political party was defeated, including Mr. Croskery. They were judged by thousands of their own political party to be unsuited for office. Fop the past three years their places on the board have been filled by men and women who have thought and acted as citizens. for the welfare of the citizens’ hospital under the capable chairmanship of Mr. Castle. -That they deserve the continuance of the confidence of the electors should be apparent tp all unbiased persons. Providing normal hospital accommodation for 620 additional beds during the war period has been a splendid piece of work which .should not pass unnoticed. —I am, etc., H. F TOOGOOD. AA’ellington. May 22.