THAMES HOSPITAL BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4904, 18 November 1925, Page 1

THAMES HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING.

The Thames Hospital Board met at Thames on Monday last, Mr W. E l . Hale presiding over Messrs H. L. Berney, Lange, Rowe, J. W. Danby, G. Death, A. R. Robinson, and W. C. Kennedy. The secretary, Mr G. Tonge, wais also in attendance. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE. The Minister of Public Health for-, warded the consent to the capital expenditure of £4OO-0 for the erection and equipment of a steam laundry and of £3OOO for the erection of an isolation ward. The Department of Health forwarded its consent to the Board borrowing £7OOO from the Bank of New Zealand for a term of .ten years. SUPERANNUATION. The superintenednt of the National Provident Fund frow.arded particulars of the superannuation scheme for Hospital Board employees. It was compulsory for .all permanent employees to become contributors and optional for non-permanent employees. The employee would.pay a proportion, the Board a portion, and the Government a portion. ~ This, wais referred to a committee for a report. PRIVATE WARDS. The secretary, N.Z. Trained Nurses Association, forwarded a resolution urging that in the event of private wards being brought into use at public hospitals registered nurses only be employed for duty to those patients. . PATETONGA NUR'SE. The half-yearly contribution, £25, for the services of the district nurse was received. - DONATION. . The clerk of the Horahia Drainage Board forwarded a cheque for 10s on behalf of Mr McComb. Mr W. Hale stated that the sum was due by this farmer for work done on a drain. It was decided to send a letter of appreciation. The secretary of the Thames branch of the Woman’s National Reserve advised that it had been decided to present 30s worth of books for the inmates of the maternity annexe. REPORT. ' The Resident Surgeon, Dr. J. Ritchie, reported that 46 males and 30 females had been admitted to the hospital during the month. Two males and two females had died, 33 males and 36 females had been discharged, leaving 34' males and 23 females in the institution. Forty-four operations' had been performed. A loose leaf system of keeping records was desired, and also, certain reference books, on medicine and surgery for the use of house surgeons. The report was adopted and the recommendations deferred for a month. The matron reported that two nurses and one sister had resigned, and the kit'chenman had left. Two nurses were ill and one away on sick leave. Nurse Chapman had passed her final year's examination. Nurses Knox, Hall, Reed, and White had passed .their preparatory examination for probationers. Seven patients had been Annex, and there had been seven births'? - ....

The Superintendent of the District Homes, Tararu, reported that one man had died, during the month, leaving 17 men and 4 women in the Homes. Their conduct was very good. Mr Berney, on behalf of the visiting committee, reported .that the farm •was certainly looking well. Two paddocks of hay had been cut and stacked. The Patetonga district nurse reported having made 23 visits to 11 patients during the month, and collected £1 18s. . The report was received. INCREASE! OF SALARY. The Resident Surgeon wrote applying for an increase in salary on account of the additional work entailed in connection with, the Maternity Annex. Messrs. Robinson, Danby, Berney, and Lange supported the application. Mr Lange pointed out that Dr. Ritchie should pass more of the responsibility on to the house surgeon. Unless this was done the institution would experience a difficulty in getting house surgeons, as they chose hospitals where they could get the most experience. He pointed out that ill. Auckland the house surgeons were solely responsible for .all the patients in one of the ward. An increase of £5O was! granted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £1285 10s 4d were passed for payment. MAINTENANCE. The purchase of linoleum for the corridors and surgery Was authorised and the question of painting certain rooms was left to the chairman and secretary. An estimate of the cost of installing gas in one of .the wards was ordered. SALARY OF NURSES. Mr Danby mentioned that some hospital'boards were departing from the tacit arrangement in regard to •the amount of payment for staff nursets and sisters, and were paying more than the rate, with th ; result that the Thames Hospital was experiencing a difficulty in retaining its staff or securing others to fill vacancies. Tne b< ard should pay a higher rate, oti c! wise it would not attract the best in the profession. Hospital boards were bidding against each other.

Members expressed the opinion that the appoiii'inent committee should be given a fiee hand.