HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10393, 11 May 1925, Page 8

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

STATEMENT OF FINANCES

NURSES’ EXAMINATIONS. There ivere present at to-day’s meeting of the Ashburton Hospital Board: Messrs C. Reid (chairman), W. T. Lill, W. G- Gallagher, A. J- Magson, W. Bryant, F. W. Watt, and JThe annual balance-sheet (subject to audit) was presented by the secretary. The excess of income over expenditure was £3608 5s sd. The expenses totalled £40,423 9s Id, including maintenanceAshburton £13,117, Malvern £9/2, Rakaia £775, Methven £906; reduction in fees and fees written off, £2l 489; and administration, tiw/. The’ principal items of income were : Amount carried forward from ’ last i year £20,447; local bodies’ levies for maintenance, £5482; Government subsidies, £3847; subscriptions and donations,' £144; fees—Ashburton £11,069, Malvern £692, Methven £444, Rakaia £374, other boards £2oß—total, £12,790; bad debts recovered, £1022. The’ assets were valued at £84,252, including cash at bank, £3024; patients fees outstanding, £4320; stores, £s<3o; ! capital investment in AiVaipiata Sanatorium, £8252; County Hospital land, buildings, and equipment £02,475, Malvern £5242, Rakaia £3959, Methven £4944, other general property £1495. The liabilities, which equalled i the assets, consisted chiefly of capital account, £55,691; capital levies, £8783; i voluntary contributions, £3063; subsidy on these, £11,844; sundry creditors, £1213. The costs per occupied bed in each hospital was as follows: County, £206 (1924, £193); Malvern, ! £209 (£262); Methven, £316 (£368); 1 Rakaia, £2S6 (£236). The County Hosnital maintenance costs were: I Provisions, £2497 (1924, £2448); surgical and dispensary, £l2lO (£1388); domestic, £3490 (£3386); salaries and wages, £4335 (£4118). The greater part of £453 domestic expenditure would be non-recurring. The new year would commence with an almost clean sheet as far as outstanding accounts were concerned. The monthly statement showed a credit balance of 7d. The income amounted to £7323 18s lOd, and the expenditure to £6449 7s 3d.

Officers’ Reports. The Medical Superintendent (Dr. H. S Billcliff) reported that 56 patients remained at March 31. Fifty-one were admitted during April, and 110 treated; 52 were discharged and 68 remained. Forty operations had J>eeii performed. In the massage department 265 patients were treated, and 10 for plaster operations. Sixty-nine outpatients had been treated, and there had bteen 61 X-ray examinations. In respect to a letter received from the Director-General of Medical Services concerning the final hospital examination for nurses, he had with the Matron, and suggested (1) that a hospital certificate be issued by the board on the completion of three years’ training; (2) that the passing of the final hospital examination lie essential before the candidate bo permitted to sit for the State examination; (3) that a reciprocal agreement he arranged with the South Canterbury Board whereby the examination papers for the final examination be set by the Medical Superintendent and Matron of that board for Ashburton candidates, and vice versa. This had met with the approval of the South Canterbury superintendent, who was submitting a similar recommendation to his hoard.

The matron (Miss E. <T. Watt) reported the Chalmers Ward was now occupied, and was a very convenient ward to work in. In view of illness among the staff, an extra probationer, Nurse White, commenced duty on April 9. The Nurses’ Home top flat would soon be ready for occupation. A beautiful wheeled 1 chair had been received from the Red Cross for the use of soldiers. This generous gift was fully appreciated. The various Homes reported as fallow:—Rakaia Maternity Home: Six cases admitted, five discharged, and three remaining. Malvern Maternity Hospital: Admitted seven, discharged five, remaining four. All cases were satisfactory. Methven Home: Admitted two, discharged five, remaining two. The Building Committee reported the electrical overhaul should be completed at an early date. Mr J. S. Allen, the Department’s technical adviser, _in company with the contractors, inspected the'installation of machinery at the laundry, and arranged for certain alterations to the work so as to bring the installation into line with the Department’s requirements. The report of the gardener stated all the potatoes had been pitted, and there was a very fair crop. The heavy rains in the middle of last month found their way through the roof or the main Hospital building in two places, also in one place at the Malvern Home. They had all been seen to. The grounds at the Methven, Rakaia, and Malvern Homes were fairly tidy. There was a good supply of vegetables at the Hospital. The ambulance had been out eight times.

Correspondence. The rateable value of each contributing local authority was given by the Government Valuation Department as follow :—Ashburton Borough £649,260, Oounty £11,596,280, Tinwald Town District £129,460. The Board’s estimates for the year 1925-26, as follow, were approved by the Minister of Health:—Maintenance levy £7570, subsidy £6743, capital levy £4005, subsidy £4005.

With regard to the proposed contract between the Board and the Friendly Societies, the Director-General of Health (Dr. T. H. A. Valentine) wrote that he was still of opinion that rho Friendly Societies should pay at

least half the Board’s ordinary fee. However, the Minister of Health had agreed t-6 the Board’s proposal for the coining year, subject to review at the end of that time. It was decided to arrange a meeting with the Technical Adviser to the Department (Mr Allen) to decide upon a s ; te for a- new maternity block. Dr. Valin line, in reply to the Board’s letter, considered it wruld be better b' •••bark *»po" a row ward fa- maternity cases than to spend much money >n the Malvern Home.

The Department advised that a £ for p subsidv would I>c given on. Mass' Chalmers’ donation.

The Chairman and Secretary wt '■ 'npointod as representatives to the Hospital Boards’ Association’s Conforms to be held in Auckland on May 27. The Building Committee for the •?on hg yO!i r wiis elected ns fol 1 ow*s:

Messrs F. W. Watt (chairman), W. T. Lill, and J. Bruce. . It was decided to insial an internal telephone exchange at the office, with three telephones, 011 c each in the doctor’s, matron’s, and A ward rooms. ■ Mr Watt stated that the matron had agreed to prepare daily charts shewing patients’ progress. This, it was considered, would be of great convenience to tiie staff, in informing the public ot the condition of patients.