HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 230, 27 September 1911, Page 9

HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.

CONVALESCENT HOME NEEDED. The question of providing more accommodation at. the Auckland District Hospital was discussed at last night's meeting of the Hospital, and Charitable Aid Board. A remit fronn the honorary staff was read as follows: —" In the opinion of the medical eomznittee more provision should be.mado elsewhere for the treatment of chronic, 'Convalescent and incurable caweo hot demanding "the most highly skilled attendance." The chairman (Mr. P. 31. Mackay) 'said : they had to face the question of providing more room. At the Hospitals Conference he had recommended the erection of convalescent homes, also that a commission of medical experts, com- ' prising tho senior medical officer, the chairman of the honorary staff and a representative of the surgical and medical sides should determine when a patient was fit to be drafted out of the hospital. While relieving the pressure on the hospital, a convalescent home could be maintained at much less per head than the general hospital. It was a matter for the Board to decide whether the present convalescent accommodation should be extended, and a male section added. There was no special accommodation for consumptive casc3, though at the present tkio ten beds were occupied, contrary to the rules of-the institution. He ftlso, that the system of admission should be gone into, and stated he thought there was little doubt that often doctors who ■had ehrohie cases sent them to the hospital.' The system would have to be revise!, and the best way would be to have a conference between the Board and the honorary staff to go into the questions under issue.

Dr. Pabst stated that, while the medical staff considered more accommodation was needed, they.thought it should not bo added to the present building. The main hospital should be devoted to the treatment of serious, urgent and difficult paiients, and other provision should be made for chronic, convalescent, and tubercular cases. If this were done, 40 additional beds woukl be available in the main hospital. He advocated a system of district nursing, statrng that many- cases were sent to tho hospital for the sake of the nursing, which was not obtainable elsewhere.

Mr.,E. 11. Potter pointed out that a.t present the accommodation was not all taken up. The statement that the convalescents were remaining too long in the hospital was not supported by last year's returns. Tho average AAys stay of patients for the year ending March 31 was 25.6. The Prince Alfred which had been quoted, had an average of 24, in which convalescents and incurables wero not included. Therefore, it wa.3 necessary to have more information in regard to tho number of incurables and .convalescents at present in the hospital. Dr. Pabst said the hospital was not actually full, but was taxed in come departments, and the future had to be considered.

On the motion of Mr. Potter, seconded by Dr. Guineas, it-was deckled that a return be submitted at the next meeting of the Board, showing the number and dates of admission of incurable cases to •the hospital; also the reason for the detention of convalescent cases in the hospital.