HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1940, Page 3

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

NEW PLYMOUTH CONTROL Executive officers' reports on August activities at New Plymouth hospitel were presented to the board yesterday. In the report of the matron, Miss B. A. Campbell, recent and impending nursjng staff changes were detailed. The medical superinlendent, Dr. C. A. Taylor, reported that during August the number of patients admitted was 287, compared with 259 in August of last year, 278 (2321 were discharged, 19 UO died, and there were remaining in hospital 216 (207). Tlre highest number for one day was 239 (223), the daily ave rage was 223.742 (206.839) and the individual average day's stay was 24.167 There were" five maternity cases and li isolaMon cases. Outpatients treated were as follows: Specialist 68, surgical and medical 252, tuberculosis 80, number oi operations 167. „ „ The matron, Miss A. Campbell, stated in her report that Miss E. Barker, tutor sister. left on active service on August 19, 1940. Miss A. Iorns, successor to Miss Barker, commenced duties on July 4 in the teaching block. Miss Heather Mair commenced duties as sister in the women's medical ward m place of Miss Mooney, resigned. In consultation with the medical supermtendent the following recommendations were made: That Miss G. Hunter (senior staff nurse) be appointed a permanent_ relieving sister in place of Sister Mair, wh) is now in charge of the women s medical ward. That Miss L. M. Cooper, at present staff nurse (senior) in the chest block, be appointed temporary sister there at a salary of £135 per annum in place of Miss Olive Graham who takes over the matronship of the Pukeora Sanatorium at the beginning of October, and pending the arrival of Miss Florence Rumball from the staff of the Waipiata Sanatorium, who has agreed to accept the position as sister-in-charge of the chest block, and will be prepared to commence duties on Nover^ber 5. That Misses V. P. Espagne, J. M. Godfrey, Jean Hart, J. L. Nicholson, K. E. Sims, P. A. Spooner and J. V. Strahle be placed on the permanent staff, as they have each completed one year on duty. Maternity Accommodation. The secretary, Mr. A. J. Gunn, reported that the Department of Health had forwarded a sketch plan of the Waitara Maternity block which they recommended the board to adopt. The solicitors had been instructed to proceed with the formalities for acquiring the site by proclamation under the Public Works Act, and were requested to do everything possible to expedite the transfer of the title. , The skctch plans for the proposed maternity ward at New Plymouth hospital had been forwarded to Wellington for approval, but had not yet been returned. The hospital was urgently in need of further storage space, and m view of largc orders arriving during the coming months it was important that space be made available as soon as pos- | sible. Tlie inspecting house manager of the Department of Health recently inspected hospital stocks and intimated that they should be still further mcreased. He pointed out that in the event of emergency hospitals having to be set up the board would be responsible for the supplies needed. which in the meantime had to be stored somewhere. The present storage space was almost fillecl to capacity, and included a. rocm previously uscd for an office. As an alternative to arranging more storage space at the hospital a suggestion was the obtaining of a room in the town where stretcners. bedding and non-perishable stores necessary for tlvs setting-up of an emergency hospital could be stored. Mr. I. Hodder, of the office staff, completed duties in order to enter camp on August 23, and Mr. J. Johnston had applied for leave of absence for military duty next month. The claim for hospital benefits for August was: Hospital £2081 8s, infirmary wards £81. For the five months of the current iinancial year claims for hospital benefits payable from the social security fund amounted to £10.130 14s. The financial statement to August 31 revealed a satisfactory position with a credit balance in the maintenance account of almost £4000. It appeared that the board should continue with the proposed maintenance work allowed for in the estimates, and at the same time it was desirable that some lines of stores should be increased still further. The past month had been fairly busy, stated Ihe district nurse, Miss M. Jackson. Sister M. Healy was appointed to the district nursing staff on August 21. This had been a great help in the work, and it was hoped to be able to do moj'e nursing in outlying districts _in the future. The number of new patients on the register was 22; the patients transferred to hospital 4, 15 were discharged, and there were 16 remaining. The number of visits to homes for treatment. and advice was 244, and inquiries numbered 80. Clothing was given to six families. Gifts of clothing were acknowledgea from Mesdames Potts, Rowe, Layton, Nurses' Home, Robinson. The mileage for the month was 873. The matron of Rangiatea Home reported as follows: Inmates at beginmng ot month, males 26, females 9, total 3a, admitted during month males 3, females 1, total 4: discharged during month, males 4 total 4; remaining at cnd of month, males 25. females 10. total 35. Patients at the beginning of the montli were: I Males 5. females 5, total 1); admitted during month, 5, — , 5; discharged during month 2, 2, 4: remaining at end ot month 7, 3, 1; died during month. 1, — i. X-ray department reported having examined 605 units, of which 147 were military units. The number of exposures for diagnostic units were 1022, as compared with 903 in August last year. In the therapy department 592 (d16) patients were treated. , , The bnctcriological department reported having investigated 1709 specimens, compared with 1728 in August, 1939. There were supplied as follows: New Plvmouth hospital 1481, Hawera hospital 35," Stratford hospital 10, private practioners: New Plymouth 157, Hawera 18, The masseuse, Miss E. Rutledge. reported having attended 96 (80) mpatients and 43 (51) outpatients, treatments numbering 1250 (1383).