MATERNITY CASES

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1931, Page 3

MATERNITY CASES

INCREASE IN CHARGES. THE ST. HELENS HOSPITALS. WELLINGTON, April 13. Increases in the charges made at St. Helens Hospitals arc to be gazetted on Thursday. Ever since 1.906, when the system was inaugurated, the charge lias been 30s a week. Under the present conditions the wife of a man receiving a wage not greater than L'7 a words is entitled to apply for entry to a St. Helens Hospital, and the Department of Health is believed to hold the opinion that maternity cases attended in these hospitals might reasonably be treated elsewhere.. Much of the overcrowding in the St.- Helens Hospitals is said to be due to tli e presence o r comparatively well-to-do patients. The loss on these, hospitals last year was about £31,000 —the factor which has presumably actuated the proposal to make the charge £5 5s for a confinement and post-natal treatment for a total of •fourteen days, with a reduction of Os a day for a shorter period. This means that should a patient he in hospital for twelve days, the cost will be £4 13s The present cost is £3 for fourteen days. The present deposit of £1 will remain. ’Die new charges will come into operation from the date of the Gazette notice, but those who have booked under the old scale can have a refund of their deposit if they do not wish to enter the hospital. Under the now scale it is proposed that the cost of ante-natal indoor treatment, and also of that for waiting patients shall lie increased from 3s a day to 6s a day, although the charge of 16s a week for babies remaining in the hospital after the discharge or death of the mother will be unaltered. There will lie a change in the charges for out-patients. The present charge is £l, plus reasonable travelling expense for the nurse .to cover delivery and a daily visit for ten days. It is proposed to increase ibis to £2 2s. plus reasonable travelling expo.nses for the iiursand daily visit , for te.n days. Tn addition, however, there .will be an extra charge of 10s when the doctor is not present at delivery.