REPORT BEFORE BOARD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 16, 12 October 1937, Page 7

REPORT BEFORE BOARD

Additional accommodation for nurses at the Memorial Hospital, Hastings, is to receive the attention of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board. Eeereation for nurses, which will include the provisiou of a swimming pool estimated to cosfe £500, and a four-hole golf coursc, is also to he considered by the board. At yesterday 's meeting the following re-> port by the Hastings general purposes committee on general jnatters relating to the Memorial Hospital was before the board:— Nurses ' home accommodation. — The chairman reported that there was urgent need for additional accommodation for teu or twelve nurses, and that the arehiteets had stated that tho cost of the necessary extensions would be approximately £1700. It was decided to recommond that tiro arehiteets he instructed immediately to prepare sketch plans and speeifications for twelve additional bedrooms with necessary bathrooms and so on for suhmission to the Department of Health, Eeereation.— Dr. Wilson advocated tho provision of a swimming pool for the nursing stafP, and stated that the prohable cost would he in the vicinity of £500, The committee approved of the idea, and the chairman undertook to eonfer with the Mayor of Hastings in regard to raising the necessary funds, and also to discuss the matter with the Director-General of Health when he visits Napier nest week, The desirability . of providing some rooin in which the nursing staffi could hold small prlvate dances was also mentioned, and thxs matter also is to bo diseussed with the Director-General of Health. It was decided to lay down a four-hole golf course in one of the back paddocks for the use of the staff. Dispensary. — An application by the contractor for dispensing at the Memorial Hospital for increased remuneration had been referred to the committee by the board for consideration. The secretary submitted a comparison of dispensary costs for the year 1936-37 which revealed the faet that in proportion such costs are very much higher at Hastings Hospital than. at Napier. After careful consideration of the whole matter it was decided to recommend that applications be called forthwith for a full-time lady dispenser, and that the present arrangement be terminated. It ' was also agreed that the dispenser at the Napier Hospital be instructed to inspect the Memorial Hospital dispensary regularly once a fortnight. Massage department. — The chairman reported that as a result of the medical superintendent's report on this department the board had decided to employ a part-time masseuse in place of the present masseur, and that authority had been given to advertise for one at a salary of £110 per annum. The chairman also mentioned that a certain amount of new equipment will be necessary for the new massage department. Dental treatment. — The general questxon of dontal treatment, both at Hastings and Napier, was diseussed, together with a suggestion that a fulltime dentist should again bo employed by the board. It was decided to defer this question, including the appointment qt a full-time dentist, until the Pebruary meeting of the board in order to see what the effect of proposed legislation regarding national health insurance is likely to be. Linoleura in corridors. — Recommended that quotations be obtained forthwith for renewal of linoleum in the main corridors of the hospital.