RECORD FIGURES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 73, 13 April 1937, Page 13

RECORD FIGURES

Waipawa Hospital Board Chairman's Report INCREASED COSTS . WAlPUKtJRAlJ, This Day. The chairman of the Waipawa Hospital Board, Mr W. H. Rathbone, in his annual report, stateto that there has been a steady increatoe in the vaTious hospital functions, the number of patients treated being a record. Men.tion is also made of increased expenditure brought about by the recent legislation. The report reads as followto: — The Waipukurau Hospital statistics for the year are: Number of. patients treated, 1199; number of deaths 33; collecti^e days* stay, 23,350; average number of occupied beds, 63.97; average individual days' stay, 21.4.

The ligures indicate a toteady increase in the various hospital functions, the nuinber of patients treated, 1199, being a new record. Eor the year ended March 31, 1930, the number of patients treated was 922; tlius the admitosions to hospital have increased by 30 per cent during the past seven years. On the other liand, the average number of occupied beds per diem is down to 64, thi« ilgure being reflected in the avetage individual days' stay, which is now down to 21.4, the lowest on record. These ligures are most pleasing, and do, I think, reflect excellent medical eflficiency. .... The expenditure for this intotitution totalled £13,918, against £13,240 estimated, the increase as members are fully aware, being brought about by increased staff, increased wages and shorter working hours, arising out of recent legislatoion, and altoo by the steady rise in cost of coinmodities. The new building programme has been completed, and the services are now most up-to-date and should fill the wants of this district for many years to come. The variouto phases of these exfcensions were covereft ' in my report to you last year, and I am pleased to say that very favourable comment has been made from many sources regarding the np-at-dateness and utility of our operating theatre and side-room accommodation. As this work prbceeded, it was found necessary to make many minor alterations and additions, which had not been budgeted for, and our estimates were found to be insuffieient, aithough the elosing debit balance of £656 15/4 on the general eapital account was a far better termination than expeeted. I desire to express my appreciation of the services xendered by the architects (Metosrs Davies and Phillips) and also of the work and the splendid cooperation Tendered by Mr H, Abbott (building contractor) and Messrs Vale and Co. (contractors for steam and heating services), The board 's thanks are also due to the officers of the Department of Health for their very helpfnl advice. Pukeora Sanatorium The Pukeora Sanatorium statistics are: Number of patients at Jannary 1, 1936, 117; number of admissiona during year, 161; total treated, 278; number of discharges, 151; number of deaths, 7; number of patients at March 31, 1937, 120; number of readmissions, 21. As indicated in the above record ligures, there has been an exceedingly heavy increase in the Eukeora serviees during the past twelve months, and the daily average number of occupied beds have risen from 98 to 116, and present indications axe that these numbers will be at least maintained .during the ensuing twelve months. The institutional j costs totalled £18,754, which was over £3GOO higher than the amou.nt estimated. This enormous rise was largely attributable to the increased number of patients, but as in the case of the hospital, the staff requirements arising from recent legislation and rising cost of commodities, also had a very heavy bearing. Owing to the great maintenance cost, it was found impossible to appropriate any money from the maintenance to the eapital fund for the reconditioning programme, but the board, continuing its policy of carrying out reconditioning work wherever possible, spent the eum, of £1433 on urgent reconditioning during the year, and thus the eapital account closed considerably in debit. During the year, a .deputation from the board waited upon the Minister of Health seBking a grant for reconditioning and additions to buildings for extra staff accomm.odati.on to conform with the spirit of recent legislation. Aithough I understand that a grant of £1750 will be approved, the money has not yet come to hand, and until such time as it arrives, it is regretted that this very important work must be deferred, but due considerati.on will be given by the finance eommittee in dealing with ihe estimates, and a report and recommendations will be submitted by that eommittee in conjunction with the general estimates, _ During the year, regular monthly visits were made to Eukeora Sanatorium by the board 's consulting specialist, Dr, Hugh Short, of Wellington, and excellent results have been obtained as the result of his collaboration with the Eukeora resident medical staff. The Wellington board has also co-operated splendidly and sevetal visits to the institutiou have been made by that board 's tuberculosis specialist, Dr. Gilbort MaeLea'tt. The result of such visits has beeft most satisfaetory, and it is hoped that some of the other large boards Will also follow in the Wellington board 's steps in this direction. Marked interest has been maintained by many of the contribnting boards, and we liave had several visits from their members and representatives, who one and all have expressed themselves as liiglily gratiiied at the progress of this importarit institution, and. tbje steps being taken by the Palmerston North and Waipawa boards in the campaign of tuberculosis' preventive measures. The chain of tuberculosis clinics nndev this board 's control is now definitely ' established, Dr. Hugh Short having j made regular quarterly visits to Well organised clinics in the following cen- i tres: —Hastings, Napier, Wairoa, Gisborne, Opotiki, Whakatane, Rotorua, Te Puke, Tauranga, Kati Ivati, Waihi. Thames, Hamilton. The reports on these rbunds indicate the excellent , work that is beittg done, particularly , from the national point of viiw^And it j

is hoped that an early- meeting convened by the Direetor-General of Health between the two sanatoria boards will be held, when the national, as well as the general aspect of the tuberculosis clinical work will be fully investigated. Rathbone Maternity Hospital. Following are the Rathbone Maternity Hospital statistics for the year:-*1 No. of confinements, 110; No. of confinenrents without a doetor, 13; colleetive days' stay, 1601; average number of occupied beds, 4.39; average individual days' stay, 14.L, The above statistics show a- very marked increase in the services of this institution and must be deemed very satisfaetory. The institutional costs have shown an increase corresponding with the inereases of the other institutions, which of course was to be expeeted. During the year the matron (Miss L. Bridge) took a refresher course as well as her Karitane eertiftcate, and the institution will undoubtedly benefit thereby. The revenue from the various fees sources has shown a record for our three institutions, the • Waipukurau Hospital « ligures work ont at the record figure of £82 per occupied bed, being in the vicinity of £10 per bed better than for the previous year. The Rathbone Maternity Hospital ligures also gave an excellent result, being £592 7/2 against £450 estimated. The Pukeora fees colloctions totalled £18,550, against £16,800 estimated, this result being brought about chiefly by the increase.d number of patients per .diem. Another source of revenue which showed a very large increase was from the farms, the receipts totalling £1,689 11/8, against £1150 estimated. The various subsidiary services of the board have shown increased numbers and costs corresponding with the institutional growth, but one pleasing item is the contributions towards Park Island maintenance, which is now down to £612 — this figure is very illuminating as in the days before the earthquake the board 's contribution to the Park Island Committee reached as mueh as £1400 per annnm. The elosing balances for the yea^ showed the following position: — General maintenance (cr.) £238 13/6; Pukeora maintenance (cr.) £58 19/2; general eapital (dr.) £656 15/4; Pukeora eapital (dr.) £1104 10/5. Reasons for Overdraft. This is the first year for a very long period that the board has had to resort to overdraft on any of its accounts with the exeeption of loah. accounts, and the reasons for this position are, as indicated earlier in this report, fully known to members. As an example of the enormous. increase in staffing and wages, I have had a return prepared which shows that for the year ended Mareh 31, 1935, the amount paid out in saiaries for all the board 's officers totalled £12,500 for a permanent staff of 126. Allowing for the value of . board and lodgipg for those living-in at £1 per week, the total cost of saiaries an.d wages' for that year was £18., 000. Eor the incoming year, the permanent staff will be approximately 150, and it is estimated that the saiaries and wages bill Will be just on £19,000. Allowing for board and lodging at £1 per week for living-in members of the staff, the total cost of saiaries and wages for all departments for the year 1937-1938 may be estimated at £25,000, an increase of just on 40 per cent. Prior to the close of the year, Messrs. B. G. Atkins, R. A. Eraser and H. W. White resigned from membetship of the board. Each of these gentlemen has rendere.d valuable serviees over a number of years, and I again take the opportunity of expressing my thanks to them for their good work and assistance during their terms of office. I shoul.d like once again to record the thankB of the board to the general public of the Waipawa hospital district as well as of other district®, for their continued interest in our institutions and the ready response which has been made to appeals during the year, and I should like particularly to thank our Christmas Eund donors to all institutions, as well as the many orgamsations,- for their kindness and practical interest in the welfare of the Sanatorium patients. The year has been probably the most strenuous and busiest in the board 's history, placing great responsibility on the members of the board, as well as our officers, individually and colleecively, and I take this opportunity of thanking my colleagues on the board for their help and co-operation, and also our officers on the result of the year's work. Einally, I should like to say a word of praise to the newspapers of Hawke's Bay, who have given every assistance possible in the reports of our meetings.