DANNEVIRKE HOSPITAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 12

DANNEVIRKE HOSPITAL

ANNUAL MEETING OF BOARD. The annual meeting of the Dannevirke Hospital Board was attended by Messrs L. Stein (chairman), AV. Galloway, It. H. Morgan, C. A. Sutton, A. England, It. JO. Bunny, L. G. Crosse, P. C. Smith, A- II . Hansen I and J. Miller. 'The AA’oodville branch of the Plunket Society wrote asking for a donation. —The chairman, advocating that the request be acceded to, said the society saved the board a great deal. Mr Sutton pointed out that 95 per cent, of the babies in the Woodville district came under the care of the Plunket nurse. A donation of £5 5s was granted. In his report, the medical superintendent (for. (V. Beedie) stated that 69 patients were admitted to the hospital and 70 discharged during March. On April 1 there were 08 patients in the hospital —3l men. 2-1 women and 12 children. There was one case of scarlet fever in the isolation block. The matron (Miss E. A. Orsman) reported that the past month had been a very busy one. The following were thanked for gifts: Mr and Mrs Graham, Bed Cross ■Society, Townswomen’s Guild, Miss Stokes and Dr. AY. Beedie.

During tho prosentntion of his annual report the chairman mentioned the following decreases in local body maintenance and capital levies during the past year: Dannevirke County. £0.50 lOs lid; "Weber County. £l6l 14s .5d ; Dannevirke Borough. £'33o Os /3d; AVmdvillo Borough. £4O 17s 3d; Woodville County, £303 IBs lid. The total local body reduction was £1877 10s lid, representing 19.33 per cent. Thanks were extended to members at Ihe close of the meeting by the chairman for their co-operation during the past. year. i JVEW BUI I,DING COMPLETED. “After all the delays which have occurred from time to time through difficulty in procuring the necessary materials and through other obstacles which have had to he overcome in the course of putting through such a large building programme,” said the chairman in his annual report, “I am pleased to report that at long last tho new hospital buildings have been completed, except for several minor matters. The new wards will he open by the end of May or early in June and the district will then possess a beautifully equipped modern institution with all the latest facilities and comforts for the treatment of the sick. The now women’s ward, to accommodate 28 beds, is on the latest lines of hospital development in which the main feature is that it is sub-divided into cubicles or subwards to enable tho patients to ho curtained off and each cubicle is supplied with hot and cold water. Supplementary to the main ward are four small private wards and also a commodious sitting-room and a verandah for the use of convalescent patients. The maternity ward also follows latest improvements in design and technique. Board members and the public, two, will have every reason to feel proud of the new hospital, which possesses all the latest equipment which science can produce. '1 "lie chairman records his appreciation for tho assistance rendered by the special building committee and particularly by Messrs B. C. Smith and \V. Galloway. “The year differs in one great aspect from all other years in hospital hoards’ history, for alter the first quarter had passed the Social Security Act came into operation as regards hospital benefits and a new order commenced,” said Mr Stein. The experience under the Act had been enlightening in that the payment due from the fund, though lees than the rate previously charged to ordinary patients, had been regularly and promptly paid, and produced a result in fees collection hitherto unknown in hospital administration. A further feature contributing to the generally good result of the year’s working was that a certain amount of outstanding fees wore collected. On the whole year, actual receipts were £3249 os 9d in excess of the estimate on which levies had been based

The year commenced with a credit balance of £2XI2 in the maintenance account and €IO2B in the capital account and, notwithstanding increased expenditure under some headings, closed with credits of £loo7 (maintenance) and £M7 (capital), while Government subsidy on capital levies outstanding at the end of the year was £2do4. It would lx 1 conceded that this was an excellent result which should cause gratification to ratepayers. However, as all the equipment for the new hospital had not vet been bought, the board would need to provide for some capital expenditure in the com-

iug year for the purchase of X-ray plant, sterilising equipment, crockery a.nd cutlery and to make certain necessary alterations to tiro older wards since the new wards had become occupied. 'The balance in the capital account and outstanding subsidy on capital levies would be available to meet this expenditure. The position regarding collections was summarised thus: Total fees collected, ordinary patients, £2070 7s lOd; lodge patients, £322 19s 6d; B.S.A. patients, r £49 (is (id. Social Security Fund (including outstanding amount), £5478 12s. Total, £7921 5s lOd. Percentage collected, 97.3. In 1938-39 the percentage collected was 50.51. Dealing with expenditure, the chairman saici that the rising trend noted last year lia<l continued. The most notable increase was in salaries and wages which, while steadily mounting each year, had now reached the high figure of £6298 So 8d as against £5703 4s 9d in, the previous year and were more than double the 1925-26 when the , hospital was separated from the AYui- j pawa Board’s district. AYhe.n the new

wards were in full use iii the very near future and staff was provided for a larger number of patients who would be accommodated, the cost of upkeep of the institution would most likely be much higher still. The maintenance cost per occupied bed was £173.1 as.against £172.2 for the previous year. A very satisfactory result was revealed in the fanning account for the year. The farm had returned a profit of £lO3 0s Id. In a lurther reference to the Social Security Act, the chairman pointed out that the prediction made in his last report that hoards would bo better off when the hospital benefits under the Act were introduced than they had hee.ii under the old system had been borne out. ‘‘ln framing the estimates tor the coming year,” said Air Stein, ‘‘the finance committee has very carefully considered all the factors involved and although they would have liked to have reduced the levies on local bodies further than they have done, that has not been possible. That there lias liocn some reduction must be very gratifying to the local bodies and ratepayers concerned. 'The estimates as trained provide for an overall decrease of 19.33 per cent, in the levies, involving reductions of £1244 6s in maintenance and £633 4s lid in capital levies for the ensuing year.” On behalf of the hoard, the chairman extended thanks to the medical superintendent (Dr. A\ 7 . Beedie) and the assistant medical superintendent (Dr. J. S. Beedie) for the very efficient control and management they had • exercised during the past year and ; to Drs. Maclaurin and Boyd for the valued services they had rendered in . an honorary capacity. The services ot the matron (Aliss Orsman). submatron (Sister Leipst) and Ml of the nursing, domestic and outside staffs wore also deeply appreciated by the hoard. The secretarial and accounting work had l>een capable carried out by the secretary (Air AValter Dobson) and his staff. SECRETARIAL DUTIES.

The question of a full-time secretary for the haspita 1 was again the subject of a discussion. .Mr England stated that he and other board members had received letters from the Danncvirke County Council drawing attention to tire following resolution passed at a recent meeting ol the conned: “That the Countv Council representatives on the Hospital Board he asked to reopen the subject of the location _ of the hoard’s offices, as, in the opinion of this council, it is deemed desirable to adhere to the policy ol the board as adopted in 1037, whereby provision was made for accommodation of the secretary's office at the hospital.” the opinion of such an important body as the County Council, Mr England contended, was a fair criterion of the views of a large proportion of the ratepayers and as he had also been asked privately by a number of ratepayers to again introduce the subject, he would move that the board rescind the resolution passed at a special meeting on February 20 (rescinding a motion of March 16, 1937). Mr Miller seconded Mr England’s motion. Pointing out that it had been decided at the special meeting not to reconsider the matter until six months bad elapsed. Mr Crosse moved, as an amendment, that it be not reopened until then. Replying to Mr Sutton, the chairman said that in accordance with local Ixnly practice Mr England would have to table a notice of motion. Mr England then submitted his resolution in the form ol a notice of motion which will be dealt with at the next meeting. Mr Galloway gave notice to move “that the board adopt by-laws and rules of procedure.” The chairman pointed out that the board already had such a resolution on its honks.’After further discussion, Messrs Galloway. Hansen, England, Miller and Smith were appointed a sulr-com-mittoe to investigate the position.