Maternity unit stays — hospital board plan

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 9, 31 July 1984, Page 1

Maternity unit stays — hospital board plan

Citing higher costs per birth in rural hospitals, the chairman of the Wanganui Hospital Board Obstetric Review Committee last week questioned the 'social convenience' of maternity units in the outlying areas. The cost per birth at Wanganui Base Hospital is $1,748 compared with the average cost in rural units of $4,175. "I look upon the extra $2,400 as the cost of social convenience to the patients," Mr V.J. Hartfield said. The draft plan was prepared in consultation with community committees from the outlying hospital areas and has been presented to the hospital board. In the first draft of the Obstetric Service Plan, released last Thursday, the committee recommends the closure of two of the board's outlying maternity units — Waverley and Hunterville. All things considered, Waimarino Hospital was looked on very favourably compared with other smaller hospitals says the Waimarino member of the board, Mrs Dorothy Scarrow. It had been suggested that maternity units at Waimarino, Waiouru and Taihape be combined into two, but the committee recommends all three remain open. The report does recommend that the long patient

stay per birth and the number of admissions compared with births at Waimarino be reviewed. Defending the hospital's record last week Dr K.A.G. Perera said Waimarino 's policy was one of safety. With people living so far away from Waimarino Hospital patients were admitted more readily and were often kept longer than in other hospitals. The lack of specialist services in the area was a major reason for this 'safety first' policy, Dr Perera said. The report also recommends that the number of maternity beds at Waimarino be reduced from four to three in keeping with the previous government's directive to reduce Hospital Board spending. The minimum number of nursing staff at Waimarino remains at 6.72 full time equivalents, and the committee recommends Health Department dispensation for nursing staff to work in the general hospital continues. One recommendation welcomed by the three midwives working at Waimarino is that professional staff attend regular refresher courses and in-service training. The report asks for obstetric ultrasonography to be made available at Waimarino one day each month. This would involve

bringing the Board's new portable scanner to the Waimarino for the hospital's monthly clinics. The committee also recommends a review of the patient transport and ambulance service in the area, and seeks a daily collection of laboratory specimens for the Wanganui Base Hospital laboratory. Last week Mrs Scarrow was pleased with the outcome of the committee's recommendations. The local community committee's submissions to the Obstetric Review Committee had demonstrated the need to keep Waimarino open, she said. Points in Waimarino's favour included the distance of outlying communities from the hospital, the poor transport service between

the Waimarino and Wanganui and the forecasted growth of areas such as Pipiriki and Oroutaha. In addition the Winstone Samsung Mill at Karioi plans to extend its workforce bringing more families to the district. The public can now make submissions to the plan, Mrs Scarrow said. These may be made to the board's chief executive before the end of August, when the obstetric review committee next mee^js with the community committee for this area. From these submissions a final report and recommendations will be drawn up. Copies of the first draft are available for inspection at borough council offices and at Waimarino Hospital, Mrs Scarrow said.