EMPTY BEDS IN COUNTRY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30168, 27 June 1963, Page 8

EMPTY BEDS IN COUNTRY

General Gases Suggested

Empty beds at country maternity hospitals could perhaps be used for other than maternity cases, Mr R. J. Roberts suggested at the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday. “When a party of us visited country hospitals recently, I noticed there were only one or two patients in many hospitals,” Mr Roberts said. It seemed a waste of an expensive capital investment. The chairman (Dr. L. C. L. Averill) said there was “a very big problem” involved. It wa» illegal to use maternity staff for other patients, he said, so if general cases were taken a double staff would have to be maintained. Control at night time was another difficulty. Nevertheless, Dr. Averill said, the idea would be considered. Some of the board’s maternity hospitals already had a general side. Professor A. J. Danks thought there should be “a long hard look” at those district hospitals where bed costs were particularly high, and those where there was lack of support from the district, “which were often the same hospitals.” Mr V. J. Corbett praised the “excellent service” being given by the country hospitals, and was supported by Mr H. O. Hills. Mr Hills said some districts could well have large increases in population in the fairly near future, and this would have to be taken into account when any proposal for change was being considered.