HOSPITAL FEES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9891, 13 August 1923, Page 5

HOSPITAL FEES

OPERATION SCALE.

MUST BE ENFORCED

Some time ago the Ashburton Hospital Board decided on a new and higher scale of operation fees, but so for these have not been put into roice. At present there is correspondence passing between the board and Dr. Valentine, Director-General of Health, the board being desirous of giving effect to its new scale. The accommodation of the hospital, it was stated, is overtaxed, and many people who could well'afford to -pay operation fees go into the hospital and incur only a comparatively small expense, while on the other hand the board has to pay fees to the medical men who assist at °^T]Te 1 cha"irnian (Air C. Reid) said the board had gone very fully and carefully into the matter, and there was no doubt that people who could afford to pay the operation fees would have to. There would have to be some agreement with the patients on entering the institution; people who could not afford to pay would not be expected to do so. Mr W. T. Lill voiced an objection to the proposal. The question of deciding who should pay the operation fees and who should not was a difficult one. There were many people seemingly in good positions who were sorely pressed financially. Under the lower charges they found it difficult enough to get money in, and, therefore, what would the position he like- with the scale for operations. He thought the fees they intended to ask for operations were excessive. , Air J. Bruce supported the proposals, saving the scale had been most carefully considered before being adopted. The hospital was being overtaxed considerably, and it was found necessary to put the operation charges on: It would be unwise to interfere with the' scale of charges as decided upon. Air W. G. Gallagher said the fees might seem high, but were not so when compared with those being charged by private practitioners. The medical men who assisted at operations had to he paid by the hoard, and if people were able to pay they should do so. Incidentally, he considered the board lost a lot of fees because its office was away from the hospital. Air Reid said many well-to-do people and farmers in a big way used the hospital and paid 9s a day, and the board paid four or five guineas to the medical men who assisted if required. Further consideration of the matter was left to a full meeting of the board.