TRAINING OF MIDWIVES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24640, 9 August 1945, Page 3

TRAINING OF MIDWIVES

GOVERNMENTS PLANS

NEW HOSPITAL IN AUCKLAND

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. August, 8. The Government plans for training midwives • and obstetrical specialists were discussed by the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) wherw he replied to the second reading debate on the Nurses and Midwives Bill in the House of Representatives this evening. There was a discussion of accommodation in inaternity hospitals. Mr W. T. Anderton (Government, Eden) said that private nursing homes were charging from £2 to £6 above what was paid from social security, and doctors were charging up to £lO above what was allowed from the fund. There was no necessity for these extra charges, he said, and the Government should do away with them by providing expert services at all the main centres within the social security scheme. The people contributed enough to receive the best, and the State should see that they re* ceived it without additional payments. In reply to an interjection he said he would close all private maternity homes and give a full State service. He added that that was his personal view and not a statement of policy. Mrs H. Ross (Opposition, Hamilton) said there was need tor more training facilities for midwives. At present only about 60 midwives'were trained annually in the four centres, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, end Invercargill. There had even been some suggestion that the Auckland training centre might, be closed, whereas the need was for expansion of training facilities. Sirs Ross said private maternity homes did excellent work. She thdught - women did not bother whether a maternity home was private or State-owned if ft gave firstclass treatment

Larger FimlH** Mr J. T. Watts (Opposition, Riccarton) asked what plan the Government had for dealing with the ever-increas-ing demands upon hospital acconunodationby people, not all of whom, according to the Minister of Health, ought to be admitted to'hospitals. Mr Watts urged that la the next year or two no private maternity home should be permitted to dose down if it possessed the minimum requirements. He said several doctors had told him in recent months that there was an increasing willingness, on the part of expectant and potential mothers to have larger families, Mr F. Hackett (Government, Grey Lynn): The Tear of starvation has been removed, that is why. Mr Watts said the fear of starvation * had not been removed any more in the last few months than m die last 20 years, but, whatever the reason was, if women were prepared to beer larger families they aiould be encouraged to do so, and adequate facilities should be available to them. Mr T. E McCombs (Government. Lyttelton) said he had nothing to say about private maternity homes as far as their treatment of patients was concerned. but in some the charges were so mflch above the amount provided by the social security , fund that mothers were almost terrorised when they received their accounts on leaving the home. He had seen accounts running to £ls to £lB above the social security refund, and in some cases the Social Security Department had reduced the charges. Discussing training facilities fcr midwives. Mr Nordmeyer said the Health Department had to maintain &e* balance''i>etween the training cf midwives and of doctors. The Government was concerned to see another frir-wd ‘School made available for. the purp«B|q£'3reinlng medical men,-tic<t merely- undergraduates,; but. doctors who had been overseas and those in the country who wanted to undertake a refresher course. This*new, hospital wouldbe established in AuckfcM. When it was opened it would not be possible to maintain in addition to it St : Helens Hospital in Auckland. However, that would net mean ..any diminution' in the- ~numbcr of midwives trained. Die Invercargill fretting centre would also be dosed, out thn Wellington St Helens Homs would be enlarged to 100 bcds apdthe Christchurch St Helen* for 50' Beds. , Those-Jwa centres would provide &U the' trpliitog for midwives necessary fiT the Dominion. Mr Nordmayer said Dunedin and Auckland would provide for. the trailing of graduates and undergraduates in medidne, as Wellington and Christchurch would provide' for the training id midwives. It must be realised, howevef, that in homes whets . midwives were being trained it worn d not be possible for patients to have their own fondly doctors in attendance. St Helenshomes enjoyed tte services of some of the foremost obstetric specialists in the country.