NAPIER HOSPITAL INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22134, 2 July 1937, Page 17

NAPIER HOSPITAL INQUIRY

HEARING OF EVIDENCE CONCLUDED

"SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG"

(TRISS ASSOCIATION IW.EOBAU ) WELLINGTON. July I. "I must say this inquiry has been a revelation to me, and, speaking as a layman, there is something fundamentally wrong somewhere," said Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., chairman of the Royal Commission which has been investigating the' affairs of the Napier Public Hospital, when the inquiry was concluded in Wellington to-day. The commission, he said, had much better material than he had anticipated would be available on which to found its report to the Governor-General. The only witness to-day was Dr. K. A Shore, Director of the Hospitals Division of the Health Department. He produced plans of the hospital before the earthquake of 1931, and nointod out that after the earthquake the only parts left were two storeys in the middle and one ward. Plans were prepared for rebuilding, and Ihinus were going ahead when the question of establishing a base hospital at Hastings altered the whole outlook. There was a public demand for sin Pie-storey wards, which caused some delay in completing the reconstruction programme. It was decided lo provide oO genera! beds at Hastings, plus 14 maternity beds, added Dr. Shore. The question of isolation accommodation arose, and it was dc-ided to erect a two-storey ward on the site of the old Robjonn Ward which made the arrangements more'compact and efficient for administration. The Healt!) Department approved of these arrangements, although it was concerned regarding provision for future development. In the face of unanimous public opinion, however, it was hardly within the power of the department to refuse. The department's policy was always to visualise on any hospital site provision for doubling the existing accommodation.

Isolation Wards

Sir James Elliott (a member of the commission): There were very efficient isolation wards distant from the main buildings as at Wellington? Dr. Shore said that modern practice was not to depend on distance for isolation, but to rely m ward technique. In the proposed ward, no patient would be in contact with another, but would be separated by glass screens. Mr N A. Foden, for the Health Department, said that the inquiry at Napier had perhaps not done justice to the department in its efforts to safeguard the health of nurses. Dr. Shore said that the question of the nurses' health had engaged the attention of the department for some years past owing to the increased incidence of tuberculosis amongst nurses He gave details of circulars sent out by the department regarding the prevention of this and other diseases and early detection and treatment; also recommendations to boards on the subJC In replv to the chairman, Mr Shore said that "the department had had complaints during the last few months that the number of applications for training was decreasing. The worst period for tuberculosis in a female was generally between the ages of 20 and 30, and in the case of nurses between 19 and 20.

Incidence of Tuberculosis

Dr Shore said that girls were taken as young as 19 for training. Sir James Elliott asked if the witness thought that the girl was as insistent to infection at 19 as if she were a few years older. . Dr. Shore said that the incidence appeared to be greater. Sir James Elliott asked if, without a large inspectorial staff, the department could make a thorough inspection of hospitals from year to year. Dr Shore replied in the negative. The chairman asked if the witness did not think it might be advisable to tighten up the control of public hospitals some way or other. Dr Shore: I was going to ask the Director-General to answer that Concluding the inquiry, Mr Moslev said that he did not know enough about the matters before the inquiry to be able to put his finger on the trouble, but personally he would like to see the position altered, if "was within the bounds of practical politics. •'We have the hardest task before Us," he added