HOSPITAL BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 256, 12 August 1935, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD

ACTIVITIES LAST MONTH.

OFFICERS’ STATISTICAL REPORTS

LEASE OF MATERNITY HOMES. The Ashburton Hospital Board met this morning, when there Avere present Messrs W. G. Gallagher (chairman), W. Bryant, 0. A. Campion, Raymond Oakley, W. H. Wilkinson, F. Frampton and G. S. Hardy, and Dr. J. R. Wells. The chairman’s report was as follows

“The following are the Hospital statistics for the month of July:— Medical Superintendent—Patients in hospital June 30, males 35, females 23, total, 58; admitted in July 47, 37, 84; total treated, 82, 60, 142. Patients discharged in July 52, 28, 80; died 2, —, 2; total remaining 28, 32, 60. Number of outpatients 198, treatments 226, X-ray examinations 84, laboratory reports 68, massage treatments 318, diathermy treatments 174, piaster operations 4, operations performed in July 45. “Matron’s report—Nurses Currie, Kean and Wolff were successful in passing the final State examination held in June. Nurse Sandrey is absent on annual leave. Nurses Field and Dell have returned from annual holiday.

“Malvern Home report—There tvere 13 patients admitted, 12 discharged, and four remain for the month of July. Thirty ante natal patients were seen for the month. Nurse Knight has decided to discontinue her maternity training as from July 23. Nurse Linguard commenced training on that date.

It Avas decided to congratulate Nurses Currie, Kean and Wolff on their success in the final State examination.

The report Avas adopted. “Secretary’s and treasurer’s report —Laundry: 20,348 articles Avere Avaslied at a cost of lljd per dozen. Finance: The folloAving is a statement of receipts and payments for July:— Receipts: Balance at June 30 £402 5s 9d, patients’ fees £723 8s 9d, subsidies and maintenance £522 16s id, levies £727 8s 7d, subsidies £44 12s 9d; total, £2420 12s. Payments: Maintenance all hospitals £1125 10s lid, outdooi relief £55 16s 3d, other Boards £162, N.P. fund £55 17s 7d, administration £B9 6s sd, sundries £27 18s 6d, credit balance £904 2s 4d; total, £2420 12s. The report of the chairman of the Hospital Committee (Air F. Frampton) was as folloAVs:— * “Hanmer and Waipiata Patients.— At the end of July the Board had. five patients in Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer. All Avaiting patients have now gone forward’ to the Waipiata. Sanatorium, the number at the end of the month being 15. * “Hospital Equipment.—An order has been fonvarded for nerv floor covering to extend from Ward 3 to the glass doors at the entrance to Chalmers Ward. An ice chest for Chalmers Ward has also been ordered. These items were included in the Board’s estimates for the current year. mittee has agreed to a reduction in the insurance cover on the Board’s ambxdance to £l5O. “No. 5 Scheme Labour.—The Unemployed Board: has agreed to supply No. 5 scheme labour as requested by the Board.

“Hospital Admissions.—As requested by the County Council, a series of tables dealing Avith the Hospital admissions, fees charged and paid, etc., has been supplied. “Chertsey Women’s Institute. —Advice has been received that the subscription for tAvo women’s monthly journals for the use of patients has been paid by the Women’s Institute at Chertsey. The sincere thanks of the Board has been forAvarded to the secretary (Aliss Lambie).

“Patients’ Accounts.—Your committee has devoted a considerable amount of time at recent meetings going through patients’ outstanding accounts, and has taken such action as was deemed necessary in each case.” “A very kindly thought of the Chertsey Women’s Institute,” commented Mr Oakley, when speaking of its gift of two women’s magazines for the use of patients. The report was adopted. Mr Brj'ant reported on the last meeting of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee and was asked to present a review of the comparative positions of the various boards at the next meeting. The following approximate details were given for the Southland and Ashburton Boards respectively:— Valuation £21,000,000 and £12,000,000, population 60,000 and 19,000, quota of patients at Waipiata 36 and 19, number of patients at the sanatorium 46 and 15, patients on the waiting list 18 and 2. The Board agreed to pay half the cost of a new fence boupding a portion of the Board’s property. It was stated that this was the only pujperty not fenced.

The Director-General of Health advised that Mr J. A. Strong had been appointed physicist to the Cancer Campaign Society and asked the Board to co-operate with him in his survey of hospitals. In reply to a request from the Unemployment Board, it Avas decided to state that employment"of No. 5 scheme labour had created no permanent assets.

The Director - General of Health wrote approving of the friendly societies’ agreement with the board for a period! of three months. The letter stated that the Department Avas endeavouring to remove the lack of uniformity in many agreements. It Avas stated that the period of three months from August 1 Avas too short, but that the term could be extended later. A letter >vas received from the Hospital Boards’ Association Avith regard to the restoration of salary cuts. The executive had considered the Avhole question and, being impressed Avith the fact that practically all of- the hospital boards desired to make a restoration, of the cuts and of the definite trend of public opinion in this direction, had resolved to request the Government to permit boards to make a 5 per cent, increase in salaries as from April 1, 1935', and to restore the balance of the cuts as from October 1, 1935. The Minister of Health had

stated' that as boards depended largely upon Government grants, the policy of the Government was that restoration of cuts in excess of Avhat had been done for Government employees could not be subsidised by the Government. If the Government decided later to make a further restoration of cuts, the Minister stated that consideration would be given to each board’s budget position to determine Avhat special assistance if any Avas needed to enable the board to grant such general in. creases. Every endeavour Avould be made to deal equitably Avith the various boa ids.

Members agreed that the GoA’ernment Avould probably consider the position before the general election, and in this case the matter Avas held over. The Board considered in camera the position of the Methven and Rakaia Hospitals, and it Avas later announced that a committee consisting of Messrs Campion and Hardy and D'rs Wells and A. J. Mason (medical supenintendent) was set up to bring doAvn a further report regarding the future leasing of the homes on the expiry of the present leases.