HOSPITAL BOARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 77, 13 January 1936, Page 6

HOSPITAL BOARD

ACTIVITIES LAST MONTH.

OFFICERS REPORT ON STATISTICS NEW AMBULANCE REQUIRED. The Ashburton Hospital Board met this morning, when there Were present —Messrs W. G. Gallagher (chairman), F. Frampton, W. H. Wilkinson. Raymond Oakley, C. A. Campion, W. Bryant, and Dr. J. Russell Wells. The chairman reported as follows: “Hospital Staff.—Mr J. W. Wood, engineer, has resigned his position as from January 31 in order to go into business in Timaru. He has,given the board 11 years’ faithful service and the question of appointing his successor will be considered at this meeting. The secretary (Mr A. Prentice), who has been* in hospital for some weeks, is convalescent. “Medical Superintendent’s Report.— Patients remaining at the end of November, were 29 males and 35 females ; a total of 64. Admitted up to the end of December were 48 males and 40 females; a total of 88. The total treated were 77 males and 75 females, 152 altogether. Patients discharged during December 'were 42 males and 50 females, totalling 92. The number remaining were 35 males and 25 females; a total of 60. Outpatients numbered 203, outpatients’ treatments 290, X-Ray examinations 85, laboratory reports 63, massage treatments 277, diathermy treatments 105, plaster operations 2, operations performed in December 44, UltraViolet Ray treatments 4. “Matron’s Report.—Sister Cripps commenced duty on January 1. Sister Cornish, Nurses -Joynt, McKenzie and Money are on holiday. Nurse Currie left on January 4 to commence maternity training at Timaru Hospital. Nfuise Minogue has resigned and leaves on January 31. Misses Cassidy, Far-l-elly, Lyon and Wallace commenced preliminary training on January 6. “Malvern Home Report.—Eleven patients v ere admitted, 18 discharged and two remain for December. Thirtyone ante-natal patients were seen for the month. Nurse Mee has commenced her maternity training. “Gardener’s Report.—The Riverbed hut is always in use, and at Christmas time, on your authority, some fresh meat and provisions were obtained for the men that were there and they asked me to thank the Board for its consideration and to assure the Board that they appreciated it very much. W. Harvey extended thanks for his Christmas donation.

“Secretary and Treasurer’s Report. —-Infectious diseases: There are no notifications of infectious diseases for December. During the month 20,764 pieces were laundered. The Public Hospital has had 68.3 occupied beds against an estimate of 70, and Malvern Home 3.7 beds, the estimate being 4.4 beds.”

The reports were adopted. Seasonal greetings were received from several local bodies. The Auditor-General forwarded the board’s certified balance sheets. The chairman stated that the accounts had been given a thorough overhaul by a new auditor and had been returned without a tag, a fact on which the staff was to be congratulated. After discussion, in committee, it was stated that the Board had decided to purchase a complete new ambulance at the earliest possible date.