TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1921, Page 2

TARANAKI HOSPITAL BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board was held yesterday. In the absence of the chairman (Mr. M. Fraser) at a special uneetlng of the Health Board at Wellington, Mr. S. Vickers was voted to tlie chair, and there were also present: Messrs. 1. Sutherland, J. Andrews. G. Capper, R. H. Cattley, E. R. Gilmour, J. Young, A. H. Halcombe and M. O’Brien. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. The report presented by the medical superintendent (Dr. E. A. Walker) on the work for November stated that 108 patients had been admitted, 105 were discharged, and 6 died, the number remaining in hospital being 101. The highest number for one day was 107 and the daily average 1'00.5. Sixty-nine operations were performed. The superintendent stated that with the daily average still in the hundreds November was a busy month. In the Isolation block 13 esses of scarlet, fever and nine of diphtheria were under treatment. The State examination was held in the hospital on September 7 and 8, ten candidates sitting, including two from Wanganui, one from Hawera, and one from Nelson. DISTRICT NURSING. District Nurse McFadgen (c?puntike) reported that three cases had been attended to during the month (including one Maori). rn» fluenza colds were prevalent throughout the d.'strict, but there was no serious illness. On behalf of the Uruti Nursing Association Mrs. R. J. Nicholls wrote asking the hoard to take steps towards filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of Nurse Shine. The association also desired that the board should make arrangements to send a relieving nurse from New Plymouth when other calls were made for the district nurse in the backblocks. It was reported that the vacancy in the position of district nurse bad now been filled, the services of Sister M. Leed, now at the Otakl Hospital, having been secured. The Director of the Division of Nursing, in notifying the appointment, said Miss Leed was well qualified in general nursing and midwifery, having been trained at the Royal Infirmary, Dundee, and having served as a district nurse in Scotland; also during the war, having been on military service for four years. OPUNAKE HOSPITAL SITE. A letter was received from the Under-Sec-retary of the Department of Lands through the Director-General of Healfb (Dr. Valintine) with reference to the site for the cottage hospital at Opunake. The communication stated that the Police Commissioner advised that his department was opposed io surrendering any portion of the police reserve at Opunake further than the area of one acre which it had already agreed to surrender for the purpose of providing a site for a hospital. THE AMBULANCE. A complaint regarding the dispatch of the ambulance was received from the New Plymouth Waterside Workers’ Union. The secretary of that body (Mr. A. Williams) wrote stating that at a recent meeting the members entered an emphatic protest in regard to the manner in which the ambulance was delayed in arriving at the wharf on the occasion of the recent accident to W. Lowry. "It appears,” he said, "that the ambulance would not be sent from the hospital without the authority of the port doctor, and this meant that the injured man was kept on 'the wharf an hour and a half before being conveyed io the hospital.” In asking that tlie board give attention to this matter, the union said they desired to see the ambulance immediately available when any accident occurred. The chainman said the practice was that the ambulance was sent out on the request of a medical man. and he did net think the board could leave the way open for any one to order the ambulance, as there were many cases on which such a course was not necessary. They desired, however, that the best be done in any cases where the ambulance was needed. Before replying to the union the board decided to send the letter to the medical superintendent (Dr. E. A. Walker) for his comment. STAFF MATTERS. The (matron’s report stated that Nurses Kilbride and Berry had gone off duty on holiday leave, and Nurses Graham and Taylor were on* sick leave. Sister Hosking had returned to duty after holiday leave. Sister Dew returned to duty after three weeks’ special leave. Nurses O’Connor and Carroll left hospital on November 24 «and 28 respectively. Nurses Nixon and Stephenson having completed their three months’ term of probation satisfactorily, were now on the permanent staff. Tlie report of the house steward dealt with various matters of administration, and also acknowledged gifts of vegetables and flowers from the Horticultural Society. GENERAL. The matron of the Rangiatea Home stated that there bad been two admissions and two departutres during the month. The number remaining in the home was 38. The farm manager (Mr. W. C. Noble) reported that for the month of November the herd of 18 cows produced 15,698 lbs. of unilk. Thanks to good assistance the work of the farm was progressing very satisfactorily. There had been much sickness with some of the cows owing to heavy wet weather, but. all were now recovered. An invitation was received from the Egmont County Nursing Association for the board to attend the opening of the cottage hospital, which is to take place about the second week in January.—lt was decided to accept the invitation and to thank tte association.