TREATMENT BY SPECIALISTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 10

TREATMENT BY SPECIALISTS

Our Own Correspondent.

Mr. H. L. Harker's Scheme Before Wairoa Board VIEWS TO BE SOUGHT

From

WAIRUA, Last JNigbt. At the monthly meeting of the Wairoa Hospital Board, Mr H. L. Harker moved to call a conference of all local bodies from Hawke's Bay to the East Cape for the purpose of considering the amalgamation of all the hospital districts into one in order to secure specialist trcatment for the people, which was not now available in the smaller districts. Mr Harker, in moving the resolution, said he was influenccd by the value of Dr. Short's visits in tlie case of tuberculosis, and he would like to csee some scheme brought in by which specialist treatment might ho made available to all people in the area he had in mind in the case of other diseases. To get this specialist treatment now was very expensive, as the people were so far from the big centres. If oue big district be treated by highclass men without having to travel to Auckland or to Wellington, clinics being establislied here and tliere in the larger area in the various districts. When it was made possible for the specialist-.to make round trips he eould aee the cases, which could tben he sent to the nearest clinies for treatment at.the eosfc of'the eomhined district, if that wero needed. By this means a lot of needless prolonged sickness would be averted and many lives saved by early treatment by specialists. What he wanted to see was a big conference to examine the proposals or something like them, and to that end even the attendance of the full membershix> of the hospitable boards would be desirable at the conference. Mr J. M. Taylor seeonded the inotion, adding that he did not think he could put the. matter any clearer than Mr Harker had. Mr Harker said he would like to-seo the Minister of 'Health at such a conference. Mr Williams said that therO was, evidently, a national health scheme eoming, and also some possible amalgamations, so that at present they did not really know where they stood. As to the specialists whos.e aid it was sougbt to obtain, they would have to bo good, and their salaries must be good also, such as could bo afforded by a larger area. The move was a good one. Mr Chax>man said that Mr Harker had launched a big question, but after all those preseafc were layn en, and they were not Lo say oflhand what sliould be done. Such a move shoaid come from the Health Department or the Hospital Boards'' conference, and either ■ eould deal with the question better thah Hospital Board members. Mr Harker said he wouJd be willing to substitute another worci for "amalgamation" ana mentionccl that tho present status of hospital Doards would not be disturbed, as the new and larger body would he formed by delo giates fr-Oiii the various tmards Eventually Mr Harker's motion, amendcd to read as follows, was carriel. " Phat all the hospital -boards in Hawke's Bay and on the East Coast be circularised, asking their views as to oombining the whole area l'or the extension of sx>ecialist treatment on the lines of Dr. Short's, to be run by a combined committee on the iiues of the Waipiata Sanatorium. the expenses to be borne by the enlarged districts on a rateable value basis."-