City And Country Clash Over Country Hospitals

Press, Volume C, Issue 29702, 21 December 1961, Page 7

City And Country Clash Over Country Hospitals

and city members ■,^. North Canterbury Hospital Board clashed yesterday over the low bed occupancy and consequent high bed cost or some country maternity hospitals. Country members maintained that country people were entitled to a hos. pita! service even although the average bed eost was higher than in the city; city members claimed that the reaaon for the high bed cost ■was that many country mothers had their babies elsewhere than in the district hospitala, and that a country hospital service was only justifiable it the country people used it The discussion centred on the 11-bed Oxford Hospital, which last financial year had an average occuoied bed rate of 2.6. with little if any increase this year. A report had been asked for by the board from one of its members, Mr E. P. Shier, on the reason for the low bed occupancy at Oxford. Mr Shier had reported to the institutions committee of the board, and the committee had recommended that present arrangements should continue but that the position should be reviewed in a year. After much discussion, this recommendation was amended so that the review will take place in July. Part of the reason for the amendment was that the present board will end its term of office at its September meeting, and members felt that any decision to cur. tail or maintain hospital services at Oxford should be made by the existing board, not left to its successor. "Unfair To Judge” Mr Shier, pointing to a rise to 3.6 in the bed occupancy at Oxford in November, said it was unfair to judge the use being made of a hospital bv the figures for one year. It was rather sad, however.

that the cost an occupied bed had been so high last year. (The weekly eost a patient was £49 Ils 6d.) Mr H. _O. Hills said that everyone knew the bed occupancy of a hospital might fluctuate, and the allowance of a certain period before a review was made would give the board time to form a judgment. “There would be great sadness in any district where we were forced to close the hospital,” he added. Mr D. Macmillan wanted the debate to be held in com. mittee, as statements made might cause restlessness among the staff, he thought. Mr Shier claimed that the position of Oxford’s hospital was already “the talk of the town” and only good could come of airing the seriousness of the matter. Mr Turner Smith referred to the declining use of the hospital through last year and this year. A year was far too long a period before the review, he thought. He suggested six months as a more appropriate period. “The country hospitals are fine institutions, but country people cannot expect to have them maintained at the taxpayers' expense.” he said. Mr V. J. Corbett said that far too much emphasis was being placed on the cort of ihe hospitals in £ s d. “Their value cannot be reckoned in this way," he said. “They go through their ups and downs with the communities in which they are set. The population of a country district fluctuates, and the use of the hospital can be expected to fluctuate with it. “If the present period of financial stringency continues, help may have to be given to country areas. Closing down their hospitals will be an extra cost to those country people who can least afford it—the people who are rearing young New Zealanders. If they have to pay to come into the city to have their babies, the net expense to the country may be greater

than if the hospitals are kept open. “If it is a question of spending the taxpayers' money, then it should be pointed out that a good many of the biggest payers of tax come from these same rural areas.” “Should Not Be Selfish” Mr T. F. Carter said that city people should not be selfish. “There is not room for us all to camp around the Square.” he said. It would be a tragedy if any of the country hospitals were closed. He would not dare go back into the district he represented if any of its hospitals were closed. “Money isn’t everything. We in the country need a lot of the nice things you have in town, and maternity hospitals are one of them,” he said. Mr J. B. Hay said that the hospitals were used almost entirely for maternity patients. “If your country women are going to town to have their babies you haven’t much of a case for keeping your hospitals open.” he told the country members. “It is not the board which is threatening to close the country hospitals—it is the country people themselves, by not using them.” Mr L. A. Bennett said that if the country people wanted hospitals they should support them. The cost an occupied bed was reduced very quickly when more patients were admitted. he said. Mr R. J. Roberts asked if the Oxford Hospital was entirely for maternity cases The chairman (Dr. L. C. L. Averill) said that several country hospitals. Oxford included. had a few holding beds for medical cases, but patients were not supposed to stay there very long. Dr. Averill agreed that service was the prime factor to be considered in the position of the country hospitals, but he also thought that the hospitals should be used by those for whom they were intended. Apart from all other considerations, the staff grew bored and restless if there was insufficient work to do. which made staffing difficult.