N.Z. HOSPITALS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18676, 27 April 1926, Page 8

N.Z. HOSPITALS.

SYSTEM OF CONTROL. MINISTER OPPOSED TO CHANGE. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TSUSOXASI.) HAMILTON, April 26. The Minister for Health is apparently determined that the control of New Zealand hospitals shall remain in the hands of the people, despite any recommendations to the contrary, or influence brought to bear, about the alteration of the present system. When speaking at Huntly, the Minister said that the Dominion had recently been visited by an American Burgeon, who had come here fit the instance of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association to report on the hospitals of the Dominion. "We are," said the Minister, "anxious to learn all we can from America or any other part of th# world, for we ore desirous of rendering as efficient a service as possible to the public through our hospitals. ••> While, however, we are desirous of rendering tho highest possible service, we also nave to keep the cost of administration as low as possible without impairing efficiency.- New Zealand in one respect- cannot learn anything from the United States, and that is ip the important matter! of the fees charged. SJ "Dr. Watt, Assistant Director of Hoalth in New Zealand, who is at present abroad, only last month wrote from America stating that hospital and medical fees charged in America were simply appalling. Dr.. Yalintine, who recently returned from Great Britain, and Europe, also reported that the British hospitals were the most efficient in the world. In New • Zealand the hospitals are in every sense community hospitals, whereas in America there are very few controlled by the community in the same sense. "Mv policy shall be, J ' said Mr. Young, "to preserve the control of our hospitals in the hands of the people who are responsible for arranging the finance and organisation of _ them. While I recognise and appreciate the great services rendered by doctors, I consider it would be a. serious mistake if the control of our hospitals were to pass into the hands of the medical profession." Referring to tho uses of radium, the Minister said that in his opinion, it would not be possible, in faot, not necessary, that every base hospital should hare o supply of radium. The four metropolitan hospitals with thmr stocks of radium would be able to supply more than the needs of New Zealand.