STATEMENT DENIED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 6

STATEMENT DENIED

REPLY TO DR McMILLAN MATERNITY SERVICES’ QUESTION That he was a member of the hospital staff executive or that he had been present at a meeting of the executive in 1946 was denied by Dr Gerald Fitzgerald last night. He added that neither he nor any other practising obstetrician in the city had been given an opportunity at that time to express his views on the maternity demands of the future. These cpmments were passed in reply to a statement made by the chairman of the Maternity Committee of the Otago Hospital Board, Dr D. G. McMillan, at a meeting of the committee on Friday. Dr McMillan asserted that if the staff executive of the hospital, of which Dr Fitzgerald was a member, had not opposed his contention that the board should proceed with the erection of an “ open ’ maternity hospital, one would have been completed a year ago. Dr Fitzgerald remarked that he regretted having to correct Dr McMillan’s statements once again. He was not a member of the staff executive which was composed mainly of the heads of the teaching departments. At the particular meeting—in February, 1946—Dr J. B. Dawson had moved, and Dr D’Ath had seconded, this motion: “ That the proper plan to meet the need is to increase the beds at Queen Mary Hospital by 14 and to add a gynaecological wing when possible so as to give a women’s wing containing 40 maternity and 60 gynaecological beds.” This was thought by the staff executive to be sufficient to meet the present and future maternity demands of the city. He still held the view, Dr Fitzgerald said, that a large “open” maternity hospital near the Queen Mary Hospital was the ideal, both from the mothers’ viewpoint and from the aspects of economy and modern obstetric requirements.