THE HOSPITAL HONORARY STAFF.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 37, 13 February 1929, Page 6

THE HOSPITAL HONORARY STAFF.

By his remarks about the honorary staff at the Hospital, the chairman' of the Board landed himself in an unfortunate position. The honorary staff, considering that their reputation was at stake, naturally protested, and Mr. Wallace stated at last night's meeting with representatives of the staff that he did not intend to cast any reflection on that body, either individually or collectively. At the same time, Mr. Wallace said complaints had been made to him by patients, so the matter is not left in an entirely satisfactory state. The chairman's mistake lay in bringing up the! matter in the way he. did. Instead of having the complaints inquired into, he publicly made! —or appeared to make —a. general charge against the honorary staff, which he did not, then or subsequently, support by detailed evidence. In a general hospital there are bound to be complaints by patients from tim , ' to time, and there should be some permanent machinery, such as a small committee, for dealing with them. The public should know that such machinery existed, and that any case put before the authorities would be dealt with promptly and fairly. By this means confidence in the hospital would be strengthened.