HOSPITAL BOARDS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20726, 9 February 1939, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARDS

MANY DIFFICULTIES INCREASED COSTB PROBLEM LOCAL CONTROL QUESTION (By Telegraph—Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH. Wednesday "Since our last conference drastic changes have been made in many directions, as a result of which, hospital boards have encountered many difficulties." said Mr J. W. Dove, president of the New Zealand Hospital Board’s Association at its conference at New Plymouth to-day. Mr Dove mentioned the shortening of hours and the effect this had had in increased staffs and the inevitably higher cost of administration. When the executive interviewed the Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Fraser, seeking special consideration for hospital boards owing to their work being entirely different from private enterprise, the Minister expressed hearty concurrence, said Mr Dove, and as a result of representations to the executive of the Federation of Labour, this body recommended its affiliated organisations to accord hospital boards their sympathetic cooperation. "A far greater problem," said the president, “confronts us when we come to nursing staffs. If we were able to obtain the necessary numbers of nurses and trainees, no accommodation would be available to house them. It must Involve boards In heavy' capital expenditure, not to mention what it will mean Id salary increases. Election of Officers "This all means further Increases in maintenance charges, and as the use of hospitals for all illnesses is steadily Increasing, all boards, especially the larger ones, are confronted with the necessity of increasing their bed accommodation. At the present time there is a shortage of at least 1500 beds. "If the system of hospital finance Is wrong, then electors should exercise their rights and return members to the Legislature who will alter the system. I would here like to sound a note of warning. From time to time suggestions are made that a greater proportion of hospital finance should be provided from Government funds, and the responsibility for the cost of certain types of treatment should be that of the Government. The cold fact Is that without local financial responsibility, there cannot be local control." The conference elected the following officers: —President, Mr J. W. Dove (Dunedin), vice-presidents, Messrs L. B. Evans (Christchurch), J. Glover (Wellington), and A. J. Moody (Auckland); executive committee, the Hon. W. H. Mclntyre (Wellington), Messrs E. Macdonald (Timam), J. A. McKay (Whangarei), W. E. Broderick (Wanganui), and P. E. Stainton (Taranaki). STATE LOTTERIEB FINANCING OT HOSPITALS PROPOSAL NOT APPROVED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday State lotteries as a means of financing hospitals were not favoured at the Hospital Boards’ Conference this morning. The opinion was expressed that besides being an unstable method of finance they would encourage the gambling spirit and that would be most undesirable. Mangonui and Buller remits on the subject were lost. The conference concluded to-day.