Overcrowded Hospital

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27051, 28 May 1953, Page 8

Overcrowded Hospital

The annual report of the North Canterbury Hospital Board’s medical superintendent (Dr. T. Morton) did not give a happy picture of the board’s main institution (the Christchurch Hospital). The average daily percentage of occupied beds last year was 98, which meant that

sometimes it exceeded 100 per cent when stretchers had to be used. In the last two years the number of cases awaiting surgical treatment has grown from 400 to 1400. Some patients requiring only nursing care have had to be turned away. Because of the overcrowding of the hospital there was some lessening of efficiency. Even if the hospital had more beds it would still have to find nurses for them. If the hospital does not reach the standard set for it, who is to blame? Is it the board or the Government for not providing more beds and finding enough nurses to serve them? Or is it the general public which fixes the standard, aiming perhaps higher than it is prepared to pay for? A common attitude is that the public, because it pays heavily in social security charge, in Government taxation, or in hospital rates, or in all three, is entitled to the best possible treatment. The answer to that is that the people now get what they pay for—no more and no less. If the new Cashmere Hospital was now finished and working, the people would be paying for the building and its maintenance. By the time this hospital is finished present trends in population and demands for hospital service make it unlikely that the board will even then be able to provide everything that the public wants. The question is not so much whether the people of New Zealand can afford the ever-increasing cost but whether they want to. If they feel that they are already paying enough, or more than enough, some thought must be given to relieving the pressure on hospitals, which has become almost intolerable in Christchurch. As Dr. Morton pointed out, great relief would be obtained if the people of Christchurch made more effort to care fbr their aged and chronic sick. His other suggestion that patients might possibly be charged for their food will cause anger in some quarters; but it directed attention to an important matter. In this instance contribution by the beneficiary might save money for essentially

medical purposes. * In other parts of the health services it would be more important in discouraging unnecessary calls on strained resources in manpower and materials as well. For instance, a small charge on prescriptions (as in Britain) would not only discourage waste of drugs or the unnecessary use of drugs would save the time of doctors called on for prescriptions that are not really necessary. It should be said finally that Dr. Morton’s report is a powerful argument for greater State spending on health services in one particular field—preventive medicine. It is a national reproach that health repair services should have become a great secondary industry. The best and surest way to reduce its weight is to teach people how to avoid the need to call on it. That will be a long process, but a rewarding one in every way.