A HOSPITAL QUESTION.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 205, 15 September 1937, Page 4

A HOSPITAL QUESTION.

In the Royal Commission's report on its investigations regarding the Napier Hospital appeared the following paragraph : — "In regard to matters relating to tlie management and administration of the Napier Hospital your commissioners are convinced that it is contrary to proper administration and discipline that any person should at the same time hold office as a member of th© Hospital Board and as a member of the honorary This pronouncement has naturally placed Dr. H. M. Wilson, a member of both the honorary medical staff and the Board, in a somev/hat delicate position and has led to his addressing to the Board a letter that was published in our yesterday's issue. The attitude he has adopted will no doubt meet with the approval of the great majority of those who are interested in the conduct of our hospital affairs. He suggests that, unless this recommendation of the Commission is adopted and given" general effect by the authorities of the Health Department, he does not personally feel called upon to act upon it. It has to be remembered that this opinion on the part of the Commission was based upon unhappy and altogether exceptional happenings in which Dr. Wilson was not in the slightest way involved. They were of such a character that it raay very weli be taken that they will never recur in any hospital under the Board' s jurisdiction or, indeed,»in any other. As to the fine service that Dr. Wilson has himself rendered as a member of the Board there can be no question, nor can there be any as to the advantages that accrue to the Board from a member of the honorary staff having a seat . upon it and being able to give other members the benefit of what he is able to observe in the course of fulfilling his professional duties in the hospital. It is an advantage that we are told is fully recogni§ed in the Old Country and is one that is obviously not to be lightlysurrendered, and doubtless this will be the view of the great majority of Dr. Wilson' s fellow members of the Board.