HOSPITALS CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1928, Page 4

HOSPITALS CONFERENCE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 3. Tho Executive Committee of the Hospitals’ Board’ Association concluded its meeting to-day, Mr Win. Wallace presiding. An intimation was received from Hon. Afr Young, AJinister of Health, that an endeavour would he made to bring down this session amendments of tho Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act embodying most of its proposals put forward by the Association, including a provision to assume a minimum subsidy of 14s per £1 of levies; power to dispose of unclaimed property ; and a provision that time spent in public charitable institutions shall not count in establishing residence in a hospital district under Section 92. He added that the proposal that contributions through medical and nursing associations should harry subsidy, even though the contributors .received concessions in charges for treatment could not he agreed to. ELECTION OF BOARDS. It was resolved to make immediate representations combating the proposals made by certain local bodies that the members of Hospital Boards slibnid be appointed by the contributing local authorities, in lieu of the present system by which the electors of local authorities also elect the representatives of the district on the Hospital Board. Tt was resolved to draw attention .to the increasing number of vehicular accident cases treated in tlie hospitals, and to urge that provision should be made for the payment of public hospital expenses in connection with the proposed compulsory third party insurance cover renewed. MOTOR. ACCIDENTS. Representations are also to be made with a view to ensuring that compensation in ‘respect of hospital expenses in industrial accident cases should he paid over to the hospital authorities. NURSES’ WORKING CONDITIONS. A series of recommendations were submitted by the Council of Matrons. One dealing with tho introduction of central linen stocks, and another relating to the nursing staff hours of duty wore endorsed. A proposal that a fourth year course of training be made compulsory, and another that pupil nurses in small training schools should have six months in a Grade 1 or 2 hospital ; and also one that provision should be made, if possible, for trainees to take- a short period at district nursing were referred to the forthcoming conference, also the suggestions that nurses in private practices be given an opportunity of obtaining refresher courses. RISE IN FEES. It was decided to recommend to next general conference that Hospital Boards should adopt a uniform charge for ordinary maintenance niul treatment in general hospitals of 12s per diem for adults and 6s per diem for children. The Executive determined upon 12th March, 1929, for the next conference, which is to be held at Palmerston North, remits being asked for by the 10th December. EXPLANATION OF EXTRA EXPENDITURE.

Mr Wallace gave reasons for the increase, in hospital expenditure. He said: “The immediate explanation of the largely-increased burden of expenditure lies in the growing number of patients obtaining treatment. He said that in 1921-22 the daily charge for treatment in general hospitals was

1 in very few instances more than 7s Get per diem for adults and in the majority of instances was 6s j>er diem. During the following year the majority of the boards adopted the charge, of 9s jier diem. A few more came into line in 1,923-24, and in 1924-26 there were only nine general hospitals charging loss than 9s per diem. The cost per occupied bed per annum was £190.5 in 1921-22, and £1p9.8 in 1926-27, an increase per cent of 4.9.

Foes receivable per occupied bed increased from £121.1 in 1921-22 to £167.7 in 1926-2.7, or by 3Ei.£> per cent, whilst fees receivable per occupied bed have also risen 'steadily from £48.7 in 1921-22 to' £,63.o'in 1.920-27, the increase per cent being 30.0. It should be pointed out that both the amount of fees receivable and of fees received include outpatients’ fees, and are therefore not properly expressed in relation to occupied beds. Making due allowance fob tliis, it is

still clear .that both fees charged and fees collected have been distinctly advanced out of proportion to the increase in the cost per bed. A further speeding tip in this direction appears, nevertheless, desirable. In the consideration of the scale of charges which should be adopted by the public hospitals, it is necessary to bear in mind that, as regards the daily fee for ord-

inary maintenance and treatment, the aim is “to fix a uniform charge for each of the respective classes of hospitals, 0.g., general hospitals, maternity hospitals, etc. It is, in fact, neither desirable nor practicable to differentiate charges in the various general hospitals according to the respective costs. A difficult}- arises as soon as an endeavour is made to fix a fee which, on the average, will approximate to tlie cost, in that it is necessary in the case of some hospitals to charge less and in others to charge more than the actual cost. Herein lies the chief obstacle of a scale of fees and charges which, if all were paid, would return an amount approximating the cost of the public hospital services. Nevertheless there is room in the fees without the Hospital Boards being placed in the position of making a profit" out of the sick.