PROMPT ACTION

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 6

PROMPT ACTION

HOSPITAL ADDITIONS DR. SHORE'S ADVICE NEED AT NEW PLYMOUTH Prompt action is necessary to provide additional accommodation , at the New Plymouth hospital, according to Dr. R. A. Shore, director of the hospitals division of the Department of Health, who personally examined the position at New Plymouth on Saturday. "Taking into consideration the time that must be given to the preparation of plans and specifications," he said yesterday, "the board should come to a decision with the least delay. There is no doubt that demands on accommodation will increase steadily, and relief should therefore be afforded as early as possible." The conference with Dr. Shore was arranged by the board at its meeting last week when, recognising the urgency of the position, it was decided to invite him to discuss tentative plans of a comprehensive nature involving the expenditure of possibly £120,000. ^ Sevcrely Overcrowded. In reviewing-his impressions yesterday Dr. Shore said the general wards at the hospital had been severely overcrowded for a considerable time. A survey of the position regarding in-patients at New Plymouth showed an urgent need for a maternity annexe at the hospital and, secondly, for more accommodation for medical and surgical work. He pointed out, further, that for the proper administration of the public hospital proper offices, record rooms, etc., were required. At present those offices were situated in rooms in the hospital that could more profttably be employed in the housing of patients. The board had so far agreed to provide a maternity annexe at Waitara and six beds at the general hospital for obstetrical emergeni cies. Dr. Shore recommended the board to give immediate consideration to plans for the following additions at the hospital; 1, Out-patient services and clinics with dispensary; 2, maternity annexe with the necessary ante-natal clinic; 3, adequate administration, admission and casualty accommodation; 4, accommodation that would in the meantime be used to house the extra nursing staff but could as the demand arose be readily converted to ward accommodation. "It cannot Le denied that these proposals involve a considerable expcnditure,' Dr. Shore commented, "but the recommendation would not be made unless one were convinced of the absolute need. The board is asked to make an early decision after it has made a careful study and investigation of the hospital needs of the district. When it Ls convinced of the urgent need, as I am sure it will be, it is asked to place the position before the contributing authorities for full and free discussion." Ccntre of Medical Work. Elaborating the reasons for urgency, Dr. Shore said there were two aspects of the problem that required consideration. First, there was the increasing demand for out-patient consultations. Because of the particular methods adopted at New Plymouth the hospital had become, more than in any other district, the recognised centra of medical work. At New Plymouth there was possibly a closer liaison between the medical staff of the hospital and the outside practitioner. This, continued Dr. Shore, had arisen from the eslablishment of an active clinical society and various clinics, such as cancer, tuberculosis and medical. "This state of affairs is really one on which the hospital board and its officers are to be congratulated," the doctor commented. "Further development along such lines should be encouraged because it tends to provide a better service for the whole district." The material result of this co-operation, Dr. Shore said. was an increasing demand for out-patient services, and an increased service required increased facilities. The present accommodation for out-'patients, though a good effort to meet existing conditions, was not by any means sufficient and extension was required. Dealing with the second aspect of the problem, Dr. Shore pointed out that for various reasons there was an increased and increasing demand for in-patient accommodation. The reasons for that were not pecuiiar to New Plymouth but, whatever they were, the demand must be met. There was a definite shortage of beds for maternity patients at New Plymouth. In an endeavour to meet the position some of the private hospitals at times operated beyond their licensed capacity and there was always a certain number of cases that required the services of a fully-equipped general hospital