HOSPITALS CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1929, Page 2

HOSPITALS CONFERENCE

TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT

PALMERSTON N. March 18,

A suggestion that Hospital Boards should undertake the treatment ol tuberculosis 'was 'productive oi a lengthy discussion* at-the Hospital J-nurds Conference this morning when several proposals were advanced including the opinion that a system of control should be nationalised. Holding that the Provision for care and treatment of tuberculosis cases was the proper function of Hospital Boards, the executive Committee brought a number of recommendations suggested with a view to ensuring more uniformity in an active policy, and also with the view of more equitably sharing.'the burden of more expensive measures' against the disease. Boards should combine in groups of two for the purpose of taking over and administering tuberculosis sanatoria within the .respective distrets of . combined boards. • - - In the opinion of the committee uniform measures were not lkely to be prosecuted while different forms of control over tubercolosis institutions were allowed to exist. A Hawkes Bay remit that the cure and treatment of tuberculosis should become a national undertaking was accepted as an amendment by Dr Watt of the Health Department to unify and co-ordinate a scheme dealing with the greatest national menace. Combined with efforts by hospital baords it would be productive of great results. The Department affirmed the principle of hospital board control whole heartedly.

Following a lengthy discussion, the Hawke’s Bay remit was lost and the conference supported the executive report by 38-27. The chairman, Mr Wallace, moved the adoption of the scheme for division of Hospitals Boards into controlling groups. An Otago remit favouring national alisation of the treatment of disease, following a discussion, was lost. It was decided there be two groups in each Island. The question of defining the boundaries of the groups was referred to Hospital Boards for their consideration. PALMERSTON N., March 14. . Proposals for the adoption of uniform hospital fees were brought before the Hospital Boards Conference bn the recommendation of the executive and after considerable discussion were rejected, on the grounds that it would cause financial hardship, as increases were involved in the case of many hospital boards. Suggestions made were that a scale of charges for Inpatients in general hospitals should be twelve shillings. pe r diem for .adults, and six shillings lor children undei fourteen years.