STRATFORD HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Tuesday. The Stratford Hospital Board met today. Present: Messrs J McAllister (chairman), Smith, Walters, Hine, and .Meredith. The medical superintendent reported that for the month 20 patients had been admitted, 1!) discharged, IS remained, 9 operations were performed. He recommended that Nurse Weir be appointed to the permanent staff. The Auditor-General wrote informing the Board that they not having paid the surcharges demanded by him, the matter was being placed in the Crown Law Office to take the necessary legal proceedings. The question of whether the Boarf should charge a patient who had enlisted for operations came up for discussion. Some of the members thought the Board should give free treatment, while others considered that the Patriotic Committee should pay the amount of maintenance, Mr. Meredith said if the patient was operated on and did not go to the front he should be made lo'pay the fees. The chairman thought that it would be better if patients were considered on their merits. Mr. Hine moved: '-'That this Board will not charge for the treatment or maintenance of any men going into the hospital for operations to render themselves lit to serve with the expeditionary forces."—Seconded by Mr. Walters and carried. The chairman reported that three children out of a family of seven that were committed to the Industrial School in Auckland by the Magistrate had been "boarded out." The Board could do the same thing here. It was peculiar that the Auckland Board should vary the Magistrate's order. The Stratford Board had to pay for their maintenance, and were never informed where the children were or how they were progressing.—lt was decided that the chairman and secretary interview the Magistrate on the matter. A PATRIOTIC OFFER. Dr. Paget wrote as follows: —'1 presume your Board will not charge any men who may require operations done to render them fit for military service. If that is the ease, I shall be pleased to give any services required at the public hospital, either as an anaesthetist or consultant, free of charge, and if this offer is accepted I- shall be pleased if you will notify me of any such cases. The same offer will hold good for any men returned sick or wounded from the front requiring my services, and for the dependents of any men in military service." Dr. Pagefc's offer was accepted with thanks, members appreciating the patriotic spirit displayed by him. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. For the last two years I have prefaced a summary of the report issued by the Health Department concerning Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards, and as the report for 1915 has just come to hand, I shall, with the indulgence of the members, call attention to some interesting items and comparisons. The figures all relate to that period between April 1914 and March 31, 1915. Stratford's total receipts from all sources during the year amounted to £3760, including a balance from the previous year of £730. The local bodies contributed £llOO, the Government £1039, while voluntary contributions were only £7, probably the lowest on record, this, of course, being due to the fact that practically all money available for charitable purposes has been given to patriotic, Belgian relief, Red Cross, and kindred funds. In the matter of patients' fees, members will be pleased to know that our proportion has not been equalled by any other hospital in the Dominion. In endowments, Patea seems to be the most favored Board in Taranaki, their income from this source being £-237, as compared with New Plymouth, £SO, and Stratford £5, and Hawera, nil. The latter board, however, show £307 from other sources and New Plymouth £355 under the same heading. The expenditure on Charitable Aid for the past year is shown as £440, as against £57'7 for 1914, and | £370 for 1913. Taking the four Taranaki Boards, the expenditure on Charitable Aid is a fraction over £1 in £8 of their total expenditure. In Auckland, of the £08,087 expended, nearly a third, £22,873, was spent on Charitable Aid. Some districts are remarkably free and in one, Waipu, oniy £33 was spent. Table 111. Hospital Statistics, shows the number of patients for the year was 243, an increase of 8 per cent, on the, previous year, the average stay was twenty-two days, as compared witJi an average of twenty-eight for the Dominion. In the matter of patients' fees, Stratford is in advance of other Taranaki Hospitals, the figures being: New Plymouth £52, Hawera £29, Stratford £OB, Patea £43, Dominion average £25. After deducting patients' payments, the cost per occupied bed is shown: New Plymouth £67, Hawera £l4O, Stratford £7B, Patea £lO9, Dominion average £B4. New Plymouth and Stratford are thus well below the average. Coming now to the cost of maintenance and administration, we pay more for provisions than any other Taranaki Hospital, the figures being: New Plymouth £2B, Hawera -20, Stratford £3O, Patea £25 per occupied bed. In this connection our expenditure decreased 8s per occupied bed, and New Plymouth £2. Hawera, on the other hand, increased I9s, and Patea nearly £3 during the year. In salaries and wages the cost per occupied bed fell from £77 in 1914 to £O6 in 1915. Under the same heading New Plymouth decreased £3 per bed, Hawera decreased £l, and Patea increased £22. The total 'cost per bed for maintenance and administration shows a Dominion average of New Plymouth £ll9, Hawera £l7O, Stratford £147, anu Patea £152. Taking the estimated expenditure for this year per head of population, Hawera is the lowest of the Taranaki institutions, with 3s 4%d, Stratford with two-thirds only of the population is just one-farthing more, Taranaki Board 5s and Patea, 5s l'/jd. The foregoing comparisons will show that our hospital management is satisfactory right through. The increased cost of supplies of every kind will, it is feared, make next year's report less encouraging, but with a staff in whom the Board lias every reason to have the fullest confidence and with a secretary such as we liavein Mr. Penn, the Board can face the future without misgivings.