Hospital Boards State Intervention Causing Concern

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28866, 10 April 1959, Page 16

Hospital Boards State Intervention Causing Concern

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, April 9. While the conference had been reassured by the Direc-

tor-General of Health (Dr. J. C’airney) and the Minister of Health (Mr Mason) that the autonomy of hospital boards would be safeguarded, there was still concern at the tendency to inform and direct boards by means of instructions, said Dr. J. Fulton (Otago). He was supporting a remit at the conference in Napier of the Hospital Board's Association of New Zealand.

The remit, “that following upon the remit passed by the 1957 conference, this association make representations to the Hospitals’ Advisory Council to safeguard the antonomy of hospital boards and preserve their independence of action to the limit of national interest,” was carried without dissent.

Dr. Fulton said direction to boards by instruction was something new.

“We are rather anxious to know how far this will go, and it is obviously to the advantage of the department to issue a direction by means of instructions, but how would this country get on if all Government work was done by means of instruction?” he asked. Dr. Cairney said that if the remit was sent forward to the advisory council he could say on behalf of his colleagues that it would be received graciously and sympathetically. “But I can assure you with the utmost sincerity that the advisory council is concerned enthusiastically with preserving the autonomy of hospital boards,” he said. Mr J. F. Thompson (Wairarapa) said the Minister’s statement had allayed the fears of many hospital boards.