OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

Opotiki News, Volume X, Issue 1044, 7 November 1947, Page 3

OPOTIKI HOSPITAL BOARD

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT REVIEW OF WORE This, meeting is the last that this board will bold prior to the election and it is meet that a resume of the..board’s work should be put I am glad to be able to 'Tjiy that-most members'of the present board will again offer their ser- •- vices to the public. Members can at least go before the electors with -the consciousness of having done their duty faithfully and well during the most trying period for hospital boards, ever experienced in the history of the Dominion. If we have not accomplished all that we could have washed to do, it is through no fault of our own. We have at least kept faith with those who put us here in that wc have administered the institution in a sound and businesslike manner with the funds at our disposal.

When this board was elected in May 1944, the only institution it had to administer was the old, obsolete and dilapidated general hospital, a building so out-moded that we were told by one of the heads of the Health Department, that there ..was only one worse hospital buildihg in N'ew Zealand. The board was therefore faced with the urgent necessity of improving aceommbdation and facilities for cardrying on, without imposing an excessive- and unfair burden upon the ratepayers: At the same time the one" midwife that had long served the expectant mothers so faithfully and devotedly was ordered complete rest by her doctor and the board perforce had to accept the responsibility of the maternity hospital. The Health Department required a maternity home capable of providing nine beds, and uncompromisingly condemned the old fourbed private home. The Board, thereupon, after extensive research, purchased the Woodlands property and set to work to remodel the building and turn it into a suitable home. This was performed so successfully and without increasing ,thc rates, that when the Director of Hospitals inspected it he said that, for its size, there wa no better home in New Zealand. Unfortunately three days before Woodlands was to be used for its purpose, the general hospital was totally destroyed by fire and Woodlands had to be taken as an emergency general hospital and has been fused as such ever since. It speaks volume for the executive officers and staff that they are treating up 'to 25 general patients in what was 'meant for a nine-bed maternity home, but this cannot go on indefinitely. Small and inadequate as the... building is, it is thoroughly well equipped with modern plant and X-ray theatre.

The unfortunate state of affairs brought about by the fire left theboard with no alternative but to retain the old maternity home and we had to set to work again to build staff quarters and to enlarge the home to provide the nine beds, nursery and usual offices, required by the Health Department. In spite of heartbreaking delays caused by shortages of material and labour, this has at length been achieved, and the work is almost finished. The grounds have been tidied, proper drainage has been installed and in a short time the yard will be asphalted.

There has been a considerable amount of work done at the isolation ward, and it is now a self-contained unit.

The conditions that I have enumerated must obtain until such time as we can build the new hospital. The plans for this have been completed for some time and a model of the proposed new building was exhibited in Opotiki, but for the yeto of the P.W.D. the scheme would be in progressive operation. The plans were approved by the Department of Health but the P. ■yV.D. insisted on certain alterations and they perforce have had to be made. This of course has delayed the start of the work.

The farm has been well provided for and thanks to the efforts of the farm “committee and the ability of the farm manager, is confidently expected to show still better results in the future. •

Many references to the failure of the board to .supply an ambulance have been appearing in the Press of late. These would seem to emanate more from electoral expediency than -v constructive criticism. The facts aro that this board has been fully seized of the need of an ambulance and has for some time been investigating the position and has Departmental authority to proceed in the matter. The purchase of the vehicle is only one part of the business : a team of volunteers to attend to the ambulance services, drivers and garaging have all to be arranged for. lam glad to say that we will find no difficulty in arranging a. solution for the' last two items, but -it would be most advisable to establish a branch of the St. John Ambulance Brigade to provide for skilled attendance. In the meantime the board has been wise to apply its resources to the most urgent and pressing needs of tho three institutions under its jurisdicAs your spokesmen I have been in constant and close collaboration with the executive ■. officers during the past three and a-half years. I can only say that I have always been met with unfading courtesy and goodwill and the board is fortunate in: having their efficient ser-

in' conclusion, I must thanks the Borough Council'for its kindness in