GROUPING HOSPITALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1932, Page 7

GROUPING HOSPITALS.

RECOMMENDED BY COMMITTEE

BASES IN MAIN CENTRES.

CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day,

The Hospital Boards' Conference committee which was appointed yesterday in connection with the , Wellington Board's proposals in respect to alterations in the existing hospital system, to-day brought forward a report, which was adopted in the following form: "That the hospital districts of New Zealand be re-grouped in such a way that every group shall contain within its bounds an adequate base hospital; that for the purpose of the establishment of such base hospitals it is considered essential that there should be an adequate- number of resident medical men in the centre of population selected to provide necessary staff; that it is desirable that all hospitals be regraded according to the available facilities in each hospital; and that the conference advise the Health Department to endeavour to institute a system of grouping of hospital boards ill order to achieve better co-ordina-tion."

The committee was sot up after Dr. Campbell Begg had moved a series of resolutions dealing with the proposals for hospital reform recently adopted by the Wellington Hospital Board.

The conference, said Dr. Begg, in support of his resolutions, offered a golden opportunity for further service by hospital board members in the great work they had taken up. The object of all should be to put the hospital system on such ;i basis that by a natural process of development it would adequately meet the needs and be within the compass of the pocket of the people of the country for all time. The ultimate goal must be decentralisation of administration, control, and finance.

Seconding " tlio proposals, Mr. F. Castle, chairman of the Wellington Board, said, ho hoped the conference would agree to a reduction in the number of hospital districts, if only on the ground of economy.

Mr. S. Vickers, of Taranaki, regarded tho proposals as destructive and revolutionary. If backblock hospitals were closed, ii grave hardship would be imposed on a largo number of people. He moved an amendment recommending that the executive, in conjunction with the Director-General of Health, should explore the possibility of grouping hospital districts for the purpose of simplifying conditions.

Mr. J. K. Hornblow, of Palmerston North, seconded the amendment. He thanked Dr. Begg for bringing up the proposals, but ho objected strongly to the "stand and deliver" attitude of tlie Wellington Board, which attempted to stampede the Government into passing legislation. He agreed it was desirable to reduce tho number of hospital districts, but there was a right way to go about it.

Dr. E. B. Gunson, of Auckland, eontended that no hospital should close unless adequate arrangements were made for patients.

My. M. J. Otley, of North Canterbury, considered that the present system was tho best, although the amalgamation of 6omc districts was desirable.

The Rev. W. C. Wood, of Auckland, moved an amendment expressing the view that machinery for reducing the number of hospital districts should be provided, and that n committee be sot up to consider the best way of giving effect to this.

Mr. Wood's amendment was carried.