HOSPITAL PROBLEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1921, Page 8

HOSPITAL PROBLEMS.

STRATFORD’S PROPOSALS. DECISIONS OF THE BOARD. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board, a letter was received from the Director-General of Health, forwarding the order of reference for the Royal Commission on hospital subsidies.

The chairman stated the Commission would probably last several days, and it would have been an expensive matter for the Board to have sent a delegate. He thought that instead of attending the Commission the Board could forward its views by way of resolutions dealing with the subjects on the order of reference.

In connection with the matter of the capital subsidy, it was decided that the present capital subsidy of £1 for £1 be the basis for the Board, on capital expenditure. A long discussion took place on the methods of raising loans for expenditure on hospitals, the members holding the opinion that the Government should grant the loans instead of the present system under which the local bodies have to find the money. The chairman mentioned that the £5OOO loan for additions to the hospital had been raised without imposing any additional hardship on the local bodies. It was resolved that in the opinion of the Board a fund be established by the Government to be drawn upon by hospital boards under the provisions of the Local Bodies Loans Act. It was also decided that the Board advocates a £1 for £1 subsidy on the flat rate for maintenance purposes, and that those boards deriving revenue from lands set aside by the Crown have that revenue deducted from the amount of the subsidy, similar to the method adopted in regard to Education Boards. The Board expressed the opinion that the present subsidy of 24s in the £1 on voluntary contributions continue. As the Board did not have any separate institutions under its control, it was resolved to take no action in this matter. It was also resolved to take no action in connection with the method to be adopted by the Government in making grants to outside public institutions. On the question of maintenance fees to be charged by boards, it was resolved that thus should be left for individual boards to fix themselves. The Board decided, in connection with the proposal to establish a system of paying for private wards at hospitals, that it could not recognise the right of any person to enter public hospitals except on the conditions at present existing. Regarding the methods of franchise for the election of hospital boards, it was agreed that the present system was satisfactory, but the board resolved that It was opposed to the proposal that nominated members should be allowed to sit on boards.

No change in the constitution of the hospital district was considered necessary. It was resolved that the Government be recommended that delirium tremens patients be not admitted to public hospitals. These decisions are to be forwarded to the Commission immediately.