EFFICIENCY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 299, 18 December 1935, Page 11

EFFICIENCY.

HOSPITAL WORK. r ' " ACCOUNTANT'S REPORT ADMINISTRATION BLOCK. recommendation adopted. " The Auckland Hospital Board yesterday afternoon adopted -the interim report of Mr. Grey Campbell on the question of hospital _ administration, jeoonanending that 'an administration bloclf be erected «t the main hospital; that the head oflice with the exception 0 "f the relief department be transferred from the Kitchener Street building to this block; and that the relief department, with the dental department and the dispensary, be left at the Kitchener Street building. In a lengthy report Mr. Campbell, who has been engaged by the board to make special investigations into the adminis ; tration of the hospital, urged that undel ; present conditions there was evidence of loss of time, delay, inconvenience and annoyance caused to patients,' public, and staff, and that economies could be effected and duplications avoided if the new block were erected. " Unanswefable Case." "It appears to me that Mr. Campbell has established an unanswerable case," said Pr. E. B. Gunson when the report was submitted with a recommendation for its adoption from the special committee. It was approved after a short discussion, Mr. E. H. Potter asking that his vote.be recorded against it. Mr. Campbell's report stated that. he had taken into consideration the fact that the board intended. to extend the present aliee accommodation in Kitchener Street at a cost of £12,0'00. That sum would be a considerable part of the total cost of erecting an administration block at the main hospital. He urged that the present accommodation was entirely inadequate, not having been extended since the building was erected in 1917, though the work of the hospital had more than doubled. At the main hospital 12,000 in-patients were given treatment each year and 25,000 ojit-patients were treated in special departments, and this service would continue to grow. The out-patient department had begn practically non-existent when the present office building was erected. In addition, the board rendered service to 5000 to SOOO recipients of relief, .including dental and dispensary cases, .95 per cent of which did not need to go to the main hospital. Divided Control. In addition to the Kitchener Street head office there were at present 17 different important offices situated in various parts of the main hospital building. In the majority of these cases the space provided was wholly inadequate and hindered efficient administration. Owing to the scattered nature of the administrative sections of the hospital a person was frequently sent from one building to another before his requirements were satisfied. iln addition there was no central store. At present stores and supplies were kept ai)d issued at six different places, and ; proper provision was not made for the hiindling and storing of clothes belonging ] to. patients. From an administrative point of view the position was entirely . unsatisfactory. A considerable amount : of duplication of records resulted. * Better Service to Public. :The bringing together of the offices : scattered at the hospital and the pro- ' vision of a central store would free space that , was urgently required . by : other sections. The carpenters and painters, for instance, at present had insufficient accommodation. In addition a special kitchen was required for special diets, and this could easily be provided if the largest of the present stores was made available. - , "An administrative block would result in better service' to the- patient and the public and many advantages to the whole of the administration of the hospital," stated Mr. Campbell. "A wellplanned lay-out of offices and departments in one building ,wou]d. undoubtedly result in co-ordination and efficiency. The present position is the result of expediency. Further Reports. "I wish to point out," concluded the this report is dealing only with one section of the •administration 'that is under review by the committee. Ia accordance with the request of the committee I have been examining other sections and - in due course will have certain suggestions, and recommendations to make in regard to same." urged that the matter should bo held over until it could be giveli greater consideration. It was only part of a report that would cover, every phase of the hospital administration, and its, adoption would commit the board to the erection of an administration block at the hospital when they had more urgent matters to attend to. It was an unanswerable case, said Dr. Gunaon.. ,Ho wap concerned only in that he was forced to approve of it. it opened an amazing vista. Urgency Pressed. "The result would, be much greater efficiency/' said the chairman, Mr. William Wallace. * * The Rev. W. C. Wood and Mr. G. T. Parvin urged that the report should be adopted by the board immediately. The later reports "were dependent on its being adopted. "There ■ has been too much shillyshallying," said Mr. Parvin. After Mr. Campbell had addressed the meeting, giving further evidence of the inconvenience'and financial loss involved in the present arrangement, the report wa « put to the meeting and adopted.