37

H.—22

Stipendiary medical staff : T. G. H. Hall, L.R.C.S. Irel., LL.Midwf. Irel. ; W. W. Baxter, M.R.S.C Eng., L.R.C.P. Eng. Nursing staff : Matron, Miss F. M. Dixon, and 1 registered nurse and 2 probationers. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 1 housemaid, 1 porter and gardener. Number of beds available for males, 9 ; for females, 7 ; isolation and infectious, 4 : total, 20. Average number of patients per diem, 9. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 2 - 2. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 9 ; admitted during year, 132 ; discharged during year, 122 ; died during year, 9; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 10. Sex—Male, 112 ; female, 29 : total, 141. Collective days' stay, 3,248 ; individual average days' stay, 23 ; average daily cost per head, 7s. 7|d. ; average daily payment per head, Is. 9Jd. ; average daily cost per head after deducting in-patients' payments, ss. lOd. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £1 4s. 6d. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 9-9. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Whangarei, 105 ; Bay of Islands, 15 ; Auckland, 4 ; Otamatea, 2 ; Hobson, 2 ; Mangonui, 1 ; Rodney, 1 ; Wellington, 1 ; Australia, 1. Nationalities of patients : New-Zcalanders, 72 ; English, 25 ; Irish, 10 ; Scotch, 9 ; Australian, 9 ; Swiss, 2 ; Austrian, 1 ; Swedish, 1 ; French, 1 ; Canadian, 1 ; Welsh, 1. Visited on 22nd August, 1908. There were only six beds in use at the time, but frequently the sixteen beds are required. The female patients have been removed from the small room mentioned in my last report, and put into the room originally intended for them ; while the former has been made into a sitting and dining room for the nurses, the nurses' cottage near the Hospital being for sleeping-accommodation only. Dr. Savage, from Auckland, assists the medical staff —Drs. Baxter and Hall—in performing major operations. Miss Dixon was appointed Matron in place of Miss Stewart. The Hospital was in very good order, in spite of the fact that there was no servant at the time, and the two probationers were doing the cooking and washing and part of the ward-work. One trained nurse is kept on this staff besides the Matron, and extra trained help is obtained from Auckland when there are serious cases. 35. STRATFORD HOSPITAL. Governing body : Stratford District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Usual date of meeting : First Wednesday in each month. Secretary : J. Harry Perm (non-resident, only part time). Stipendiary medical staff : Thomas Lakin Paget, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Medical Superintendent (non-resident). Nursing staff : Matron, Miss Louise Bennett, and 3 registered nurses and 1 probationer. Domestic staff : 1 cook, 1 wardsmaid, 1 wardsman, 1 laundress, 1 gardener. Number of beds available for males, 9 ; for females, 5 ; children's cots, 1 ; total, 15. Average number of patients per diem, 8. Average number of patients to each of nursing staff, 1-6. In-patients : Number of patients on 31st March, 1908, 12 ; admitted during year, 139 ; discharged during year, 136 ; died during year, 5 ; in hospital on 31st March, 1909, 10. Sex—Male, 106 ; female, 45 : total, 151. Collective days' stay, 2,092; individual average days' stay, 19 ; average daily cost per head, lis. sd. ; average daily payment per head, 4s. 3d. ; average daily cost per head after deducting in-patients' payments, 7s. 2d. ; weekly fee charged for maintenance, £2 2s. Percentage of cost of administration on maintenance-expenditure, 8-89. Localities, broadly, from which patients came : Stratford County, 115 ; Stratford Borough, 34 ; elsewhere, 2. Nationalities of patients : New Zealand, 77 ; Australian, 15 ; English, 25 ; Scotch, 8 ; Irish, 16 ; Canadian, 1 ; Danish, 4 ; Welsh, 1 ; German, 3 ; American, 1. Visited on 2nd January, 1909, and by Miss Maclean on 3rd June. On the first occasion there were eight patients in Hospital, on the second the same number. There had been some additions made —two rooms for nurses, which were very much needed, and a drying-room added to the laundry. The design is particularly good for a Hospital of this size. A small office has been arranged for the Matron near the theatre. The number of patients has greatly increased, the daily average being about sixteen. The Hospital was in excellent order, and the staff all working well. It is difficult to get a sufficient number of trained nurses, and, as there is good work done here, it is intended to train probationers. The Board have been much exercised during the past year as to how to remedy the abuse of the Hospital by persons in a position to pay ordinary fees for medical attendance. I understand that the Medical Superintendent has been satisfied by receiving from the Board special fees to recompense him for his treatment of the well-to-do in the Hospital ; but if this is the case, it is neither fair to the public nor to the other members of the medical profession practising in the district, and, moreover, it opens the way to abuses which would be taken full advantage of by unscrupulous persons. The cost of maintenance expenditure might be reduced, and probably will be now that the hospital is well established.