HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1917, Page 5

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

"> — * VIEWk'OITTHE MINISTER.

ADVICE TO HOSPITAL BOARD.

Matters of considerable importance to hospital administration in Tnranaki were discussed last night by the Hon. G. W. Bussell, Minister of Public Health, who met the town members of the Board —Messrs F. C. J. Bellringer (cliairman), J. R; HiH, and Mrs Dockrill—for the purpose, DOCTORS AND THE WAR.

The first subject mentioned was the necessity for an additional nurse at Opunake, the position 'having been rendered move acute by the enlistment of the doctor for the district. The Minister stated that he' considered the time had come when, in the interests of the civil medical service of the Dominion, the Defence Department should be asked to' call a halt. When the war opened, there ■were 753 medical men practising lit New Zealand. We have since sent 11)0 to the front, and on hospital ships, while 41 others were engaged in military work in' the Dominion, including Medical Boards and at camps. In addition, 20 others had gone to assist Imperial troop work. This meant that we had now only got M 6 medical men practising in New Zealand, including those- who were too old and feeble to render service. His Department had reported that tire medical work of the Dohiiriion could not be' efficiently carried out with less than 800 doctors—the minimum was one medical man to every 2000 of population, and we were now down to one in 21S0. The removal of the Opunake doctor had brought the matter up; and there was al*o the proposed enlistment of a Patea doctor. He had a scheme under consideration for the mobilisation of the medical profession in New Zealand, and probably legislation would be necessary to enable the Government to . station men in certain districts. His scheme would propose tnc allocation of the medical men), so that they would be evenly distributed, and thus some would not be able to amass fine practices at the expense of their brethren who had gone to the front.

Regarding the position at Oprnmke. lie stated that no would endeavor to have a maternity nurse stationed there, or would bear in mind the suggestion of appointing a native nurse.

RECOGNISING THE WORK OF THE NURSES. The Minister stated that he oould not consider the question of giving special recognition to nurses who "'remained at homo and did their duty. There was a movement in Dunedin, as a memorial to the work done by women on behalf of the war, to establish a superannuation fund, and also a home for aged nurses, where they could take their ease in comfort. Kb was prepared to sunport this ff-.ovemeut.

APPRECIATION OF THE BOARD'S

WORK.

The Minister said that 'he was exceedingly pleased with the institution that he had visited that "day. The hospital was one of which the Board could feel justly proud, being equal to any in the (Dominion He was especially pleased to see that the Board had courageously dealt with the financial aspect, and that the institution was paid for. He considered the Board had shown a magniflcent exhibition of ability and courage

NEED FOR CONTINUED PROGRESS.

While splendid work had been done, he hoped the Board would take into, consideration the erection of a nurses' 'home, In order that not only the present stair, hut the. future augmented staff necessary as N w iw h m ] would be provided for. We cannot he said, hope to hold their staffs during a rying period unless they were prepared to provide reasonable comforts for them therefore the Department, as well as himself regarded the establishment of nnrsmg homes, where nurses could have comfort and privacy, a necessity at every large hospital. '

INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

It was absolutely necessary 'for the tfoavd to have a better Infectious diseases hospital, and he hoped that in it due provision would be made for the comfort of the nurses. , He would not express an opinion , M to where it should be erected; he would prefer to leave that to the Board, and if desired one of the Department's experts, Dr Vn entme or Dr. Frengley, would come uu and advise ns to the location of the reasonable provision, because tliev lind *o provide for the epidemta that from timei to time visited every district.. The «oaid should provide for at least three disease*, viz.. scarlet fever,. diphtheria to biuld the wards «o that they could be temporarily divided in the event of adnltsoMMh sexes being in the ward

A MATERNITY WARD.

I The Minister stressed the necessity for a maternity ward in Taranaki. He mentioned what 'had been done in this direction elsewhere) and stated that he had approached the Boards at Wanganui Hawera. and Stratford, and at the two former places he thought maternity wards would bo established. These wards were desired because it cheapened the cost of maternity from £l2 to £l4 as at present, to £4 «t the Government institution, where the cost would be £1 waiting and £1 10s per W oek during the fortnight after confinement. In the case of the really poor the amount would be written off. The object of the State was to see that every babv born to the world was born under conditions that would give it every chance of living and growing. The Department was prepared to suggest the class of building reW fihoU ' d not eort *«*• *h«n

THE CARE OP THE TEETH. He also mentioned the desirability of the Board taking into consideration' the dental condition of children's teeth in the district. He referred to a report rereived that out of 1000 children at one school only three had perfect teeth. He ■ad £3OOO placed on the estimates for the investigation of cancer, venereal diif^r^v 1 , 0 ?"' 11410113 - a,ld ''« offered the Hospital Board that for every « they spent in dental work for children attending any school, ho would give them a subsidy of £% leaving the. Board to pay £l. He asked the Board to seriously consider the establishment of d''ntß,l rooms, at which treatment could bo given chihh™ F rfi « nf eoat f th

" '' ',l earliest age until they loft scliool. Thai children of welt-to-do people could bej treated at moderate cost, an alio eouUf lads of 17. "' , • ) „ THE FINANCIAL ASPECT.

t The programme that he had suggests .would take a good deal of money, but he had a proposal that would not m&kt it a 'burden on the ratepayers, as thj .payment would be spread over a nun*. her of years. He suggested that the Board submit plans for the approval of the Department, and, sav, the estimate* cost was £20,000, the 'Board could go to its banker and borrow #hat amount on the security of its property, agreeing to pay, say, £IOOO off «ach year. Of this amount the Government would pay half and the Board half, and each woul* lAV half the interest. He noted that provision had been made to raise £6OOO »}' levy for the .\W»' Home, and also that the new hospital had been paid off in three years, and he thought that the people who had done this would appreciate the scheme,;that he proposed. In reply to the chairman,' the Minister said that if the Board provided the maternity ward, ho would consider the question of the Government running Jt. He would suggest a' 10-bed wardfwift five private rooms Where people that could afford to pay well could J» treated. "

The cliairman considered a maternity ward was necessary in the interests of the country people, Mr Okey asked whether the Govern. ment could not provide the money at a less rate of interest than the fcanJai would charge, but the Minister state.! t 'at there was no provision made for the Government lending to hospital

In the course of further discussion it was pointed out that when the new hoipita was built it was considered thaHi would be several years in advance <ol requirements, but now within a year of it* erection} its capacity was ft%

The.chairman, in conclusion, thanked the -Minuter who, he said, must not be Mrpmed if the Board came down m a heavy programme. *