THE OPEN DOOR.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 18 August 1919, Page 3

THE OPEN DOOR.

MEDICAL MEN AND THE HOSPITAL. The "open door" policy in connection with allowing all qualified medical men admission to the public hospital was discussed briefly at the meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on Thursday, when the committee set up to report on the question of the medical staff of the hospital reported .that it considered the Board should lay down the broad principle that there should be three separate sides—surgical, medical, and specialist—but the present time was not opportune to make any change. As soon as the buildings under construction were approaching completion, the committee recommended that the details be further considered by them and a full report laid before the Board. Mrs Gill said a deputation had waited on the Board some time ago asking that free entry to all doctors should be given and that the Board had told them that the matter would be considered at the August meeting. It was now August, and she moved: "That'all fully qualified medical men should have the right of entry into the public hospital." It was quite agreed that this should be done by a large number of people on whom a hardship was imposed in not having the services of the doctors in whom° they had confidence. Theso people had to forego their own doctors because they could not afford to go into private hospitals. She thought the names of those on the committee who opposed the proposal should be published. Mr J. K. Homblow pointed out that the committee had not yet discussed , that aspect of the case. The committee . had merely affirmed certain principles and as soon as the hospital was ready to justify the Board making further arrangement, the matter would be considered. That would bo when the new buildings were'approaching completion. Dr. Wkitaker pointed out that the Board did not want to burk the question at all, and were not against the open door. It had to consider the best method of working the hospital. There were at prosent more doctors than there had ever been at the hospital, and there were no complaints as to the way it was conducted. The trouble was that most of the doctors who camo to Palmerston North wanted to do surgery] only, and the Board had to consider all sides of the work. They could not all bo "cncrals. He" believed thero would be a happy way out of the difficulty. The Board was peculiarly well situated to deal with it, and in a short time the committee would be able to offer pro-posal-to do so. It was eventually decided to appoint Mrs Gill to act on the committee.— "Palmcrston Times."