MATERNITY HOSPITALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1931, Page 10

MATERNITY HOSPITALS.

ST. HELENS CHARGES. AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. OUTPATIENTS AFFECTED. (Prom Our' Own Correspondent.) '-■\\ l ;- ; .WELLINGTON, Monday. It•as '<* expected that increases in the charges made at St. Helens hospitals will 'be gazetted this week. From the time ithe system was instituted in-1906, the charge at the hospitals had been 30/ a week,* arid at present wives of men receiving wages not greater than £7 a week are entitled to admission. It is believed, however, that the Health Department holds the opinion that many maternity cases attended in these hospitals might reasonably be treated elsewhere. Much of the overcrowding in St. Helens hospitals is said to be due to the presence of comparatively well-to-do patients. The loss on . these' hospitals last year was about £31,000. This factor has presumably resulted in a proposal to make a charge of £5 5/ for a confinement and post-natal treatment for a total of 14 days, with a reduction of 6/ a day for a shorter period. This means that should the patient be in a hospital for twelve days the cost will be £4 13/. The present cost is £3 for 14 days. The present deposit of- f 1 will remain the same. The new charges will come into operation from the date of the Gazette notice, but those who have booked under the old scale can have a refund of their deposit if: they do not wish to enter the hospital under the new scale of charges. ..-■.' It is also proposed that the cost of ante-natal indoor treatment and also that for waiting patients shall be increased' from 3/ a day to 6/ a day. The charge of 10/ a week for babies remaining in hospital after the discharge or death of the mother will be unaltered. There will be a change in the charges fox outpatients. At present the charge is.£l plus the reasonable travelling expenses of the nurse to cover a daily visit for. ten days. It is proposed to increase this to £2 2/, plus reasonable travelling expenses for the nurse .and a daily visit for ten days. In addition,however, there will be an extra charge of 10/ when a doctor is hot in attendance at the birth { of-a-child.: i.