A HOSPITAL' MATTER.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14908, 23 February 1914, Page 8

A HOSPITAL' MATTER.

'' AIiEGED DELAY IN ADMISSION.

REPLY THE SUPER-

INTENDENT,

It.is alleged that on Saturday afternoon, unnecessary delay took place at the Hospital in admitting an accident case, the time between, the arrival of the injured person at the Hospital and her admission being stated to have beena quarter of an hour. The lady. Mn W. R. Curtis, of.Marshland, had her leg broken as the result of having been thrown out of a trat> whilst on the way to Kairaki Beach. She was brought to tiie Hospital.in the trap. In view of the allegation, a representative of "The Press. interviewed Dr. Scott, the medical superintendent,, and obtained from him a statement as to the practice followed in connexion with, admissions. ■

Dr. Scott eaid that the hall porter had no power to admit patients without authority from himself or a member of the resident medical staff. . Usually in accident cases the Hospital authorities are informed either by telegraph or by telephone as to when the injured person is likely to arrive; a request is sometimes made that the patient bo met by the. ambulance. The patient or injured portion, on'arrival at the Ho*" pital usually lias a note from a doctor; this is taken bj the hall porter to one of the resident staff who signs it, and notes on it the . ward to which the patient is to bo taken. In some cases the member of the medical staff had to go to the entrance; to see the patient or injured person. . Regarding Saturday's accident case, Dr. Scott did not admit that there had been any unavoidable delay. The'hall porter informed ' him that the time which elapsed between the arrival of Mrs Curtis and the time the- trap left to convey her •to the women's surgical ward (No. 10 "Ward), was, as near ac ho could guess, about five minutes. The hall porter could not say how long 1 be'<tr<ap. had been standing at the en-, trance oofore ho was made aware of the fact that there was an accident case. .In the five minutes referred to the hall porter had got the necessary ■ authority_from a member of the resident etafr (who happened to be in the out-patients' department), and had rung up the ward to tell' the nurse on duty that a caso was being sent round. When the trap arrived at the entrance to; Ward 10, there were three men waiting, to receive the case. To reach Ward 10 the trap had to go outside the Hospital grounds, drive along past the office on the llkcarton road, and fo in by the side gate. This method, )r. »Soott said, was more expeditious than if Mrs had been carried from the front entrauce through the bidding to Ward 10. It was possible that some delay occurred between the time when the trap drew up at the entrance and "when the- hall porter, became aware that there was an accident case requiring attention. It was not an infrequent occurrence for traps to drive up/to the front entrance with friends of patients, or .with out-. patients in them. Supposing it was correct- that it was fifteen minutes before Mrs Curtis was admitted, Dr. Scott said, the delay had not caused any harm to the patient, and he was Satisfied that, despite the fact that the Hospital etaff is short-handed at ..present, there had been no unavoidable delay in admission being give-n.