HOSPITAL CHARGES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5299, 13 July 1928, Page 3

HOSPITAL CHARGES.

THAMES AND WAIHI BOARDS.

PAYMENT OF OUTSIDE FEES. Thei vexed question of a satisfactory method between the Thames, and Waihi hospital boards for the treating of patients, and the collection of patients’ fees, was agaiip brought under the notice of the members of the Thames board at its meeting on Monday. A letter was received from the Waihi Hospital Board in connection with the conferences held be.tween the two boards; at Waihi on May 21, and pointing out that, under the circumstances, it could not see its way to meet the; Thames board’s wishes, and that the present ment.s would have to continue. In receiving the letter the chairman (Mr W- E- Hale) said it .was acase of “as you were.” He thought the board should notify Waihi, that it would not accept responsibility for any patients admitted to Waihi from the Thames district. Mr J. W. Da.nby queried if the board had power to do that. He asked what would be the position,, say, in the case of an accident Mr C. W. Kejiniedy said he knew what the moral position was. He was not prepared to accept responsibility for. laying down a policy that a person who was seriously il' or i?>jured, in or near, to the 'Waihi Hospital district, should, be .conveyed to Thames;. The chairman said that if Wajhi admitted urgent cases only he would not object, but time and: again cases has been admitted thta had proved to be not really urgent. To Mr Danby the secretary said tha.t the Thames Board, ha'd paid £lO7 to the Waihi Board last year. The chairman said that it was not the matter of costs as it was, the principle; of admitting Thames board cases to the Waihi hospital. It was contended by Mr E f . L. Walton that the members were not competent to determine what was really an urgent case. He moved that the Waihi feoqrd. be advfeed that, the Thames Board would. 1 acknowledge liability only for such cases admitted at Waihi from the Thames board’s district as the Thames Board resolved were urgent. Seconded by Mr J. Lange. Mr Danby stvicl he was not. prepared to put his opinion against that of the doctor at Waihi when admitting a patient. He would have to oppose the resolution.

Mr Kennedy said 'he would like to know if the board could demand that a patient in a serious state of illness or badly injured should not be admitted to Waihi, but brought straight t 0 Thames.

The chairman said that the board had to look at the position as though the Waihi Board was not iir existence.

The resolution was carried, Messrs. Daiiby and Kennedy v'ot'ng against, it.