PAYING WARDS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18670, 20 April 1926, Page 6

PAYING WARDS.

OPINIONS DIVIDED.

DISCUSSION AT HOSPITAL BOARD

The question of inaugurating the system of paying wards at the Christchurch Hospital is creating much .discussion in the North Canterbury Hospital Board, and opinions aro divided on the matter.

At the meeting of that body yesterday, the chairman (Mr H. J. Otlcy) in the course of his annual statement, said that the provision of wards for the patients who were nblo to pay lees was a matter that must receive tho eariy attention of tub Board. At present tho people who paid the major portion of tho rates could not use the Hospital. Au elaborate establishment was not intended, but some accommodation must be made. ."I am not speaking from any feeling of class-consciousness," said Mr J. K. Archer, "but I do not think it right that there should be any 'drawing-room' and 'kitchen' wards." He was perfectly in accord with the sentiment that the institution should be open to everybody, he said, but it should be open to them on the same footing. He had read the report of Dr. MacEchern, and he considered that that gentleman s suggestion of two types of ward was totally unsound. "Why should they not. start at once, and not wait for a lot of "swank" buildings? What was good enough for the poor was good enough for the rich. First the hospital should be put on a perfectly sound footing. It was now the best in the Dominion, but there were some improvements necessary. More accommodation for the ear, nose, and throat department was required, and better accommodation for tho nurses. There should be more nurses, and they should be relieved of some of the^duties that could be performed by charwomen. Then they could give all their attention to the patients. The hospital should be thrown open to everybody. Mrs H. F. Herbert said that it would cut out poor people. ' Mr Archer: That is what we will do if we have 'swank' places for the rich. The chairman: I am not in favour of elaborate buildings. Mr Archer: You will be overruled.

The Lot of the Nurses. Mr H. H. Holland aaid he had his own ideas on the community hospital, but he was not going to express them just then. He thought that nothing could be done until they had better accommodation for the nurses. Mr F. Horrell said that if they would inaugurate community hospitals in the country, patients would have to come to Christchurch merely for specialised work. Whv concentrate on Christchurch P Mrs E. R. McCombs said that the public "was forming an impression from reports broadcast from the Board meetings that they were trying to break down the old hospital system, a system that they were justly proud of. There was too much talk of paying wards. She thought that they should keep on as they were for the present. She quoted a case that pointed, in her opinion, to tasks of drudgery being delegated to the nurses. The Rev. Clyde Carr said he knew of one nurse who had to spend two hours of every working day polishing floors when the patients required her attention. That was typical of what went on.. They should go on as they were at present, and add accommodation as they went on. That would be preferable to erecting any wards for a certain class which would be distinctive. They should provide accommodation for air sections of the .community. It was a' wrong and a pernicious policy to introduce different grades for different grades of the community. When ~ people were ill, the best that could be given them was not too good. Mrs Herbert considered that it was wrong for people to receive treatment free when they could afford to pay for it. In the event of the introduction of paying wards those who could afford it would pay for their attention. Mr W. E. Leadley said that one .of the speakers had said that he was not prompted by any feeling of olass-con-sciousness.. He submitted that there had been a strong' element of olassconsciousness, and some of the speakers had been true to their party, a party that would like to see the whole of our social system reorganised. Mrs McCombs and Mr Archer: True to our principles! <

Ratepayers Debarred. Mr 1 Leadley continued that the wealthier people were debarred from treatment m the hospitals and yet they were the people who paid the larger proportion of the rates. He was entirely in agreement with- the proposal to institute private wards for paying patients. . ._ "I do not think there is need for any defence," said Mr Otiey. '.'There will be no swank .buildings, but it is not fair to shut out one class." lie belonged to no special party, he continued, and it did not matter to him what party or grade of society a man belonged to, bo long as he was a decent fellow. If the paying wards were instituted, the paying patients would be helninp to pay for the treatment of those who could not afford to pay.' So far as the nurses were concerned, he was not award that there was any drudgery. Ho quoted the following figures showing the ratio of patients ,to nurses at the main hospitals of ( the; Dominion:-'-

"If there is drudgery in Cbfistchurch," he said, "what must the position bo in the other places?"

Nurses Patients Ratio Auckland ... 180' 464 2.66 Wellington ... 105 427 2.59 Christchurch ... 162 805 1.88 Otago ... 112 266 2.28