ASHBURTON HOSPITAL BOARD.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17017, 14 December 1920, Page 10

ASHBURTON HOSPITAL BOARD.

♦- ♦ The monthly meeting of the Ashburton Hospital and Charitable Aid -Board was held yestoiday, the chairman (Mr C. Keid) presiding. 'Ihere were al«o present Messrs W. J. Dickie, \V. H. Robinson, W. Lochhead, A. Hussey, J. ' Bv , and W. T. fciilL llhe treasure* ..ported a credit balance of £2141 9s 9d, arid that the receipts einco laet meeting had been #2060 14» 4d. The acting , medical superintendent reported that on November let , there'wero'4l patiente in the hospital; admitted during , the month 86, discharged 41. died 1, remaining in the institution on November 30th 43; number of operations, 13., Tho- matron reported that the hoepital was very much understaffed at present. It was decided to- give the now district nurse discretionary power in making charge* for attending patients, bo that the charges might bo in accordance with-patients' ability to pay. Mr Dickie brought up the question of providing, a> nursing ho*ne or a cottage- hospital' at Mcthven and Eakaia. Members considered that if these were provided, residents of the districts ehould contribute to their support. The Board finally went. into committee to consider the whole question. • • - • On resuming it was reported that it .had been resolved that the Board was in sympathy with the movement to provide maternity homes in the district, and that the district ehould contribute generously towards tho scheme, so as to get tho Government subsidy of 2-ts in th<? £; aJI moneys bo collected to be paid into the Board, which would then , endeavour to obtain the opfroval of the Minister of Public Health, n the meantime, the Board undertook to eecure the services-of another district nurse, with tho same • qualifications as Nurse Webster, for tho Mcthven district, provided accommodation could -be secured for her in Mothven. The opinion was expressed, however, that it wa<a the duty of the Government to provide maternity homes, ond to leave hospitals, to continue to carry out their present functions. The ohairman stated that, to meet all tho present needs asked for, the Asliburton Board would lequire an expenditure of about £25,000 to provide the maternity honvj need-, ed, to build «. doctor's reeidenc«i at tire Ashburton • Hospital, to complete the alterations nnd additions to the nursea' home, ij-nd tj ■ entirely re-model and thoroughly ctruip the Hospital.