PROMPT REFORMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 234, 2 October 1937, Page 19

PROMPT REFORMS.

NAPIER HOSPITAL. ROYAL COMMISSION REPORT. BOARD ISSUES STATEMENT. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) NAPIER, this day. Important reforms have been effected and others are contemplated as the outcome of the Royal Commission which investigated the administration of the Napier Hospital in June last and as the result of subsequent conferences between the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board and representatives of the Department of Health.

The changes so far applied relate to the Napier Hospital only, but among those yet to be effected are measures of national scope which are likely to be expressed in the form of legislation.

The reforms were finalised after a conference held last Wednesday between members of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board and the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. 11. Watt, and were announced to-day by the board chairman, Mr. C. Lassen, in a statement which he made on behalf of the board.

"There is now, speaking in a general sense, complete harmony existing among members of the board," said Mr. Lassen, "regarding the position of members of the board being also members of the honorary staff. Dr. J. Allan Berry has already resigned from the board and the other member of the board affected, Dr. 11. M. Wilson, is giving consideration to the matter. The board has been informed by Dr. Watt that it is extremely probable that an amendment to the Hospitals Act during the current session of Parliament will clarify this position." Medical Superintendent it in Charge. The division of authority among the medical superintendent, matron and secretary, which was one of the most important points before the Royal Commission, is the subject of the following statement by the board: "It is stated by Dr. Watt that the Department of Health now has in hand the drafting of a model set of by-laws to govern the hospitals of the Dominion. The Hawke's Bay board, which had decided to revise its own by-laws, has now decided to await the draft by-laws of tha Department before taking action in this direction.

"The control of the Napier Hospital was referred to when the board met Dr. Watt, and it was generally agreed that the medical superintendent is, and always Ivns lioen. regarded as head of the board's institutions. This position has now been reaffirmed." Nurses From Australia. "The position with regard to the training of nurses was shown to be quite satisfactory, the matron recognising that it is her responsibility to supervise the training of nurses and see thit the trained staff are fully conversant with modern methods of nursing technique." The- board added that, so far as" the health and general working conditions of the nursing staff are concerned, it is shown that a number of measures are now in force to bring about improvement, notably a strict medical examination, the inclusion of meal time in the eight-hour period of duty, and accommodation for more nurses. It is also proposed to build an entirely new block for housing the trained staff.

"Every effort has been made," the board states, "to increase the number of staff nurses, but without avail, and the board now intends to endeavour to obtain a supply of trained nurses from Australia." Part-time Medical Staff. It is also stated that the board is considering the suggestion that the visiting staff of surgeons and physicians should be a part-time, part-paid staff. It has already been decided to revise the visiting hours of the honorary medical staff. The board's statement concludes with an expression of thanks to Dr. Watt for his assistance, and remarks that Dr. Watt expressed himself as quite pleased and satisfied that the board has done and is doing everything in its power to carry out the Royal Commission's recommendations, and to attain the j highest state of efficiency for the board's institutions.