WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 8

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l wish to draw the attention of the public to a serious situation. The Hospital Board, with the best of intentions, is again proposing to spendan immense sum of money, this time about £600,000, on building a section of a new hospital. Who would say that the last great expenditure of about £200,000 on the Riddiford Street frontage gave reasonable value for the money? A capital expenditure anew of about £2000 per bed may be justified by the wealth of New York or the pride of MoscbW or Berlin, but is it not absurd in a small debt-burdened place like this? The board, according to reports, is holding frequent interviews with its Australian . architect Who thinks, if. he is correctly reported, that money is absolutely no object wherethe highest efficiency is desired. It is pertinent to inquire if mere buildings, bricks, and mortar can do much to raise efficiency in f.hd healing of the sick .and injured. There is, for instance, very urgent need for a new high-voltage X-ray machine for treatment of cancer, and for, a small warm swimming pool for children, but these must wait until funds are available. Bricks and mortar must take pride of place, arid the little finger of the architect is thicker than the loins of the surgeon and physician, y The proposed £600,000 edifice is not a new hospital at all. It is intended only for acute cases as a section a much larger institution. A hospital board of members'chosen for. their political colour rather than for knowledge and aptitude; must knbW little about the internal structural necessi--ties of a hospital. In the new £600,000 job there may be no special provision for fractures arid X-ray work, diabetic and other acute. cases needing special Wards and facilities;, there may be no provision for . separately-con-trolled units co-ordinated with the outpatient department Which is a feature of new English hospitals. . . I suggest that the board appoint a special advisory cdmmittee to consider the whole question' at once. .A suitable committee might consist of three representatives of the board,, three of the honorary staff, two, repfesentatyes of I6cal contributing bodies, two of thfe Health Department, the medical superintendent, and the , local .architect. When the report of this advisory committee is received, the- final decision will rest with the. Hospital Board and the Health Departmeiit. At the.worst, delay may" not be a misfortune until the Government.has. declared its hospital and national health insurance policy.-I am. etc.,