OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 106, 7 November 1938, Page 4

OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Opotiki Hospital Hoard was held in the County Chambers on Friday afternoon. Present: Messrs. S. Maxwell (chairman), J. McDonnell, G. J. Neilson, C- H. Flejning, E. J. Baigent, C. D. Brown, G. S. Moody. The secretary (Mr. J. T. Alerry v and the medical superintendent (Dr. H. J. Mail) were also in attendance- The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed and outward correspondence read and approved .

A letter was received from the Tau-ranga-Hospital Board re the Industrial Agreement for the domestic staff, asking if the Board were inclined to agree with the agreement or to make an ugreement with the union. It was decided that the agreement did not affect them and the letter was “received”. Correspondence and application forms were received from the Knox Home, and a further letter stated that the application for the admittance pi a patient from Upotiki had been passed. The secretary advised that the patient had already been admitted aucl the board expressed satisfaction with'-,the arrangements made.

An.•.acknowledgement was received from the Watson Victor Company thanking the board for their return indicating their requirements. Several- accounts Were dealt with satisfactorily.

In reply to a complaint from the board that the charges at the Wilson Home were excessive, the Health Department wrote that the basis charges had been investigated and, in view ol tlic extra, treatment which patients received, it was thought that the charge of 15s per day was fullyr-war-ranted. The reduction to 15s per day was appreciated by the department. Tile letter was “received”. A letter was received from the Hospital Board’s Association asking if this board wished to recognise the services of Mr. William Morris. No action was laken.

A telegram was read advising that Dr. Short would lie delayed on his visit owing to illness and the board would lie advised of the date of liis visit. Additional replies to the board’s circular letter dealing with the remit asking that the Government undertake the treatment of all infantile paralysis_ cases as a national undertaking were received- Sixteen hoards replied, six hoards supporting the remit, four hoard’s recommending it to the Hospital Board’s Association and six hoards preferring to take no action.

The matron, Miss L. McLean, reported as follows : —-Herewith admission and discharge sheets tor the month of October. Hospital was busy and we employed an extra trained muse for part of the month. One probationer nurse leaves this month to commence training and 1 have appointed another to take her place. The cots used for smaller children are all out 0 f repair and 1 am doubtful if some ot them are worth repairing or should bo replaced by iron coats. Thanks to Mr. Talbot for whitebait; also several others who lett whitebait. Requiiemeu'ts: A new bed lor one ol the stall bedrooms.

The medical superintendent. J)r. H. j. Mail, reported that October had been a- busy month with a number of serious cases which had kept the staff fully occupied. 'Thcrb had been 32 patients admitted, 34 discharged, 11 remaining in hospital, G deaths and 11 operations. Both reports were approved and it was decided to look into the mattei of the requirements given by the matron . A letter re the health stamp campaign was “received”. Accounts amounting to £63S 13s Gd were passed lor paymentAt this stage the board went into coinmittec to review the report ot a special meeting held 1 recently.