MENTAL HOSPITALS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1929, Page 10

MENTAL HOSPITALS

RELIEVING CONGESTION

POSITION AT PORIRUA

REST-HOMES BILL

A brief discussion on the mental hospitals system of the Dominion took place in the House of Representatives yesterday. Reference was also made to the proposals of the Government for the establishment of rest-homes for certain classes of people who are at 'present cared for in mental institutions.

Mr. J. A. Young (Reform, Hamilton) urged that people who were showing signs of slight mental disorder should be allowed to go to ordinary hospitals for treatment instead of being sent to an asylum.

Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central) hoped that whatever economies might be necessary in other directions there would be no cheeseparing so far as mental hospitals were' concerned. A number of reforms had been carried out in recent years in connection with the admission and treatment of patients, but there was still room for further improvements. There had been disastrous overcrowding at Porirua, and it was pleasing to know:that that was coming to an end. The provision of homes for destitute people would make a'very material difference in the mental hospitals. THE ENOLISH SYSTEM. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Reform, Gisborne) commented on the congestion in the mental hospitals and said there was need to follow the English practice in treating mental patients. ; The New Zealand system seemed to be patterned on foreign lines. The officials should not have the power to discharge or withhold the discharge of patients. In England this matter was dealt with by a Board of Commissioners, the chairman' of which was a Civil servant. There were also outsiders on the board, including a woman. Reports had to be made' in writing; verbal reports were not admissible, as in New Zealand. In England it was riot possible for a patient to have to. wait three months before being examined. The medical .officers here had tho whole power of discharge, but in England that was. not so.. If we adopted the English system the number of patients in our institution would be very materially reduced, because as matters were now medical officers were extremely loth to discharge patients, Mr. "D. G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon) asked if there was any intention on the part of the Government to stiffen up the law in order to protect the coun-' try against' the entry of mentallyafflicted people. REASSURING HOSPITAL BOARDS. The Minister of Health (tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy) said that no psychopathic wards had yet been opened, but he thought tho hospital boards would soon fall into line with the views held by himself and the Director-General. There was no intention, as some boards seemed tofoar, of surreptitiously shifting the responsibility for treating mental patients on to the hospital boards. He believed that tho establishment of such wards would enable cases of incipient mental disorder to bo dealt with satisfactorily. The villas at Tokanui would be opened next month and 100 patients to be transferred thero from Porirua would relieve the congestion at that hospital. With regard to research into the number of aliens in tho mental hospitals, the Minister said that that was a new featuro of the Mental Hospitals Report. That had been prosecuted as a result of a conference between tho Director-General and himself. Conversations were taking placo between tho Minister of Customs and himself with regard to an amendment of the law, as that Minister was primarily concerned. Activo steps wore being taken in that direction in order to improve the position.

Ho had listened very carefully to Mr. Lysuar with regard to tho working of the mental hospitals system in the Old Country, and thought that there u-iis in Mr. .Lyanar's mind sonio conflict .of idea and some lack of appreciation as to the relative, systems. After discussing with the Director-General the matters raised by Mr. Lysnar, he would be able to make a moro positive statement in a few mouths' time.

Mr. Slalhvorthy said he felt sure mi'tnbcrs would appreciate that it was along tlio lines indu-ntcd in the RestHomes Bill that a great deal of relief would bo given to the overcrowding at a number of the mental institutions. There were hundreds of people domiciled in mental hospitals who could with bettor advantago to themselves and to the Department bo looked after in more congenial surroundings. .