TAURANGA HOSPITAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13802, 20 November 1942, Page 4

TAURANGA HOSPITAL

MEETING OF BOARD Facilities For Soldier Patients Appointment of Medical Superintendent The monthly meeting of the Tauranga Hospital Board was held on Wednesday. Mr A. E. Newsham presided and there were present Mrs R. H. Faulkner, Dr. T. Stuart, Messrs. J. T. Eccleton, H. J. Clarke. C. S. Moffatt and H. J. Cooper. The question of staff appeals was discussed and it was decided that the board lodge appeals in the case of two members of the medical staff. The board considered that in the absence of medical men to fill the positions, it had a duty to carry out in the interests of the community. ■ The cost of X-ray service came in for some criticism. The chairman remarked that he would like to have a statement of the detailed cost of X-ray treatment in order to see what could be done about it. Mr Moffatt moved that a report covering the cost of X-ray treatment for both civil and military patients be prepared by the secretary and that the question be gone into. This was agreed to. Military Hospital

The contractors forwarded particulars of the estimated cost of the new military hospital, which was stated to be £12,243 10s. Mr Moffatt said he objected to the method of dealing with this important work. The total cost should be borne entirely by the Defence Department. It seemed to him that the board was in the position of the fifth wheel of the coach. "Why sh.ould this board be concerned with the details. The building should be taken over by the board after the military had finished with it at the end of the war, at valuation." He said the board was not interested in the military hospital as such. Mrs Faulkner said the .board would be interested in the building as a maternity hospital after the war. The chairman said tha: aspect had been dealt with before and nothing could be done about it. The Department of Health bad advised that the architects fees incurred prior to the Defence taking the building would not be paid by the Defence Department. Mr Moffatt said the board was forced to incur expenditure of £175 before the Government decided to take over the envisaged maternity hospital. He said it was, only fair that the public should know the position the board was placed in.

The secretary outlined the procedure which was that the board received the tenders which were passed in to the Health Department and then passed to the Public Works Department for checking, and if approved sent to the War Expenses Department for payment. The building would at the- end of the war pass to the Hospital Board at valuation. Pay of Nurses The New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association wrote notifying the board that the scale of pay for nurses was below the recognised standard. Mrs Faulkner declared that the nurses were, considering their hours, the worst paid of any similar profession. Considerable discussion followed on the same subject. On the motion of Mrs Faulkner it was decided to increase the matron's and sisters' uniform allowance to £5 and that the junior ureses be supplied with stockings. Medical Superintendent The question of the conditions of employment of the new medical superintendent, a position which becomes vacant by the resignation of Dr. J. Mark, was discussed at length and it was proposed to engage a

The question of the conditions of employment of the new medical superintendent, a position which becomes vacant by the resignation of Dr. J. Mark, was discussed at length and it was proposed to engage a

P ar t-time s uperlnt " ght of PrivateT? * . of the part -«* e °;;r- T^: « limit put on e ft rtH U, H T t iie m ,z:r: : Rtantlal Partofthew, ***** ,jli °»-er should bo aTa !,l>l% "esaid there were no r^L* Moffatt moved tn . ... amendment, which. Mr l Dnded:— Be *tou

'That during lhe tors no limit which from visiting J£*i contributing, .re. b. * part-time doctor to be Z> 'he board particularly ,£> be excluding the doctor faT 1 to the territory from w> deal of to carry Pital is derived. The £j " arise that we have a desperate gency outside the limit propojM, an idle part-time doctor Zj\* area limit along with pital doctor." The amendment was | ost * mover and seconder being ones to vote for it. Mr Moffatt asked that the voto he recorded and the division - lished. m The motion on being ried. Katikati Hospital Mr Cooper reported on the K:. kati Maternity Hospital, which it working satisfactorily. He requested authority from ; : . board to house the ambulance It ::< garage at the maternity hospital.Hi cost of a very small alteration the garage would be all that n needed, and that cost would be v, dertaken by the Katikati commltta No liability would rest with Ai board. The ambulance had been pi* vided by public subscription In lb Katikati district.

It was agreed to grant the rep and the question was left In S Cooper's hands to arrange, Mr Cooper also requested llial night telephone switch be Install between the doctor's house awl It maternity hospital. This was ajra to.

Accounts amounting to £135 lOd were passed for payment. The matron reported on staff ters for October and expressed It to Mesdam'es Tait and Moore gifts of flowers.