OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 246, 13 October 1939, Page 2

OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING HELD NEW AIATEJRNITY HOSPITAL REQHEIST BY DEPARTMENT A special meeting of the Opotiki Hospital Board was held this afternoon to*,consider the following letter from Mr. M: B. Watt-, Director-Gener-al ol Health ~ “I shall be' obliged if your Board will give; immediate consideration to the need of its district for better maternity hospital accommodation. The Department regards* the matter as urgent. -The present maternity hospital . leased by the board! and sublet to and conducted by Miss Mellwraith is barely sufficient for the needs of the European population, and makes no provision for Maoris who, undQr the Social Security Act, art)' entitled to claim free nursing services of equal quality to those afforded by the pakeha. Furthermore it lacks some very essential conveniences, particularly a nursery land a labour ward. The lack ef.these "puts a great strain upon the muses of the district. It will therefore be necessary lor the Board to provide another hospital which is so designed as to be able to deal with both pakeha and,-Maori patients. The Department is of opinion that a position oil the present public hospital site should at once be selected and plans prepared!. The exact number of beds that should be provided can. be only determined by an estimate of the number of births per annum to both ' pakeha and Maori women living in the district that- the hospital will, serve. I am asking Dr. Davis, medical officer of health of your district, to confer with your hoard with a view to obtaining this information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, in order to avoid unnecessary delay. 1.-shall he obliged if your Board will choose the most advantageous position for the hospital, on the present hospital site, and let me have a site plan showing contours, levels, orientation, and the distance from it to any building, indicating those which are to be used in conjunction with it. On receipt of it j will endeavour to provide a ground plan of a maternity annexe from which your own architect can work up complete plans and .specifications; at the. same time please inform me whether present staff quarters will provide for any additional nurses and domestic staff that will be required for the new annexe some of whom, can if convenient, be located in the present nurses’ quarters besides some in the annexe itself.