THE COUNTY HOSPITAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9498, 23 April 1921, Page 5

THE COUNTY HOSPITAL.

EVIDENCE 'BEFORE COMMISSION

Evidence was given before the Hospitals Commission m Christchurch yesterday by Mr F. W. Watt, a member -of the Ashburton Hospital Board and representing, also, the Ashburton Borough Council. He said the board felt that the Government should contribute pound for pound of the capital expenditure of country hospitals, and m Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin, the Government should give a subsidy of 24s m the pound. There should be a fiat subsidy of 20s m the pound for maintenance, and 24s m the pound on all voluntary contributions. The Government should take over all sanatoriums and all maternity homes under "the control of hospital boards at present, and contribute pound for pound towards separate institutions. A sliding scale of fees should be adopted, and patients should be charged according to their means His board did not agree with the British Medical Association's plan for private wards. It was opposed to outside doctors being allowed to practice m public hospitals. Mr Shirtclirfe said that the Ashburton Board last year collected £714, which was lU.V per cent of the total fees outstanding. The board had been providing .very cheap medical services. It coliectea £19 per occupied bed, while m the Christchurch .Hospital, which admitted only the necessitous poor £49 per occupied bed was collected It showed that something was wrong m the collecting at Ashburton. Mr Shirtcliffe said that the Ashburton Board evidently, by not' collecting fees, had gone too far m providing cheap medical services. . Mr Watt said that well-to-do patients were expected to pay, and, as Jar as he knew, generally did so. lne medical services at the hospital, it they could be judged by results, ftpuld be regarded as efl&cient. He was guided largely, m his opinion, by the operations performed at the hospital. Replying to other questions, JVLr Watt said that country members or his board complained that a comparison of the country's contributions and the borough's contribution and its service was too much m favour of tne borough. No suggestion, however -^was made as to how the position should be remedied. The institution of hospital districts was unsatisfactory, but Ms board at present had no suggestions to m T o e 't)r. Adand: A movement to amalgamate the Ashburton hospital district with North Canterbury would raise a hue and cry from one end of the Ashburtoh distnotflo the other. He Sought, however, that his board would favour affiliation, as long as the independence of "the Ashburton Board was maintained * „, , n .The Commission adjourned tiU iv a.m. next day.