HOSPITAL FINANCE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 357, 11 February 1937, Page 4

HOSPITAL FINANCE

NO RATES LEVIED. English Infirmary’s Successful Scheme. Information of absorbing interest to those interested in hospital finance has beeln received by MrjW, L. Kennedy of Stratford, a former chairman of tihe Stratford Hospital Board. It concerns imaintenance of an English institution by a scheme of weekly contributions similar to those bsrs, and by donations, and it hajs bers, and by donators, and ft hais worked 'successfully for a long period. While admitting its advantages local people conversant with hospital matters are of the opinion that such a scheme could not be successful in areajs of relatively small population. Latt year when Dr. Eva Clements visited her sister, Mrs. W. L. Kennedy, she spoke about hospital administration in England and in fulfilment of a promise then made she has sent further information. This refers to the General Infirmary at Salisbury which is financed by weekly contributions and donations. A iroteworthy feature is the tremendous amount of voluntary collection and other work done by the Salisbury and District Infiifmary and Hospital League. Since it was re-organ-ised in 1922 the Infirmary League has handed to the Infirmary Treasurer for the support of the Salisbury General Infirmary the sum of £106,0G7 and in addition had paid to other hospitals, Homes, Nursing Associations and for extra hospital benefits, on behalf of members, a total of £I9,GG3. The League had also endowed three beds and a cot in Salisbury Infirmary at a cost 75T £3500. The income of the League for 1935 was £14,641 12s, chiefly from small sums. collected weekly. The fact that the administrative costs were only a fraction over six per cent was largely accounted for by the voluntary efforts of the collectors and other helpers. l . Inquiries From Far Afield. To the Infirmary’s General Fund in 1935 the League contributed £9,970 and promised £5OOO towards thcost of equipment under a reconstruction scheme. The Salisbury Infirmary League has been taken as a model for the formation of some 20 other contributory schemes and inquiries were constantly being received from , all parts of the United Kingdom and , from as far afield as America and Australia. At the Infirmary in 1935, no fewer than 2,534 patients were admitted. There were 402 confinements in the maternity ward v'hile 83 confindment cases were attended in the patients’ own homes. During ths year, 9,430 cases were treated in the out-patient department. The total expenditure came to £25.318 and there was an adverse balance on the year oi’ £1,789. . Weekly Contributions. Weekly contributions of members, vary from one penny to fourpence, the latter covering man, wife, and all children under 16 years of age not, am ployed. The League pays the Infirmary, or any other voluntary hospital in the United Kingdom to which a member may be taken, 21/ptr week on account of maintenance v bile a patient in the general wards of the hospital. Free hospital treatment was onl[y intended for those belonging to what could be termed a definite hospital class otherwise the hospitals would be crowded out to the probable exclusion of those genuinely eligible for free treatment. The medical staff attending the Infirmary interpreted the free treatment which they gave as being for those with £250 per year for married persons and £l5O per year for single persons. The income limit Was laid down by agreement between the Infirmary and the honorary medical staff. Gifts of silver wrappings from chocolates, tobacco, cigarettes; food stuffs; capsules from mottles; dental and other paste tubes; are all turned into money by the League. The Silver Lining Guild has a card on which parcels of tinfoil areapproprl ately acknowled. One verse reads reads, “Little bits of tinfoil, and little ! bis of lead, Sent to the infirmary will help to ! keep a bed.”