What The Withheld Minutes Contained

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 17

What The Withheld Minutes Contained

The only way in which he would reconsider his resignation as surgeon-superinten-dent of the Ashburton Hos-

pital would be by the appointment of Dr. B J Franc.s to the staff, said Mr A J Mason in a letter received art a special meeting of the Ashburton Hospital Board on July 24 and contained in the minutes. "This would only be possible by the appointment of a full-time anaesthetist and as one is not available I am afraid that my resignation must stand,” he wrote Mr Mason had been asked to reconsider his resignation which had been tendered at a previous meeting from which the public was excluded Mr Mason said that he still adhered to principles. "I consider that the appointment of Dr Francis to the v.siting surgical staff on the basis originally proposed is in the best interests of the community. “I would remind the board.

perhaps unnecessarily, that the only two practitioners in the town with surgical training are both at an age at which their services will not be available for much longer “Whether there are one or two full-time surgeons at the hospital, it is stall in the. best interests of the community that there be a practitioner in the town who is capable of undertaking surgical work, particularly of an acute nature.” Mr E. T. Grigg, a member of the board, said at the meeting on July 24 that he would not like to see Mr Mason go and that steps should be taken to get a fulltime anaesthetist. He urged that the resignation be deferred until the meeting with Dr C A. Taylor, director of hospitals' division of the Health Department. Mrs E. McQuilkm said she considered it a shocking state of affairs. “If a member had a grievance he should have brought it to the board and had it ‘aired’ and not made personal accusations.” She thought Mr Mason’s resignation would have terrific repercussions and was not in the interests of the board and people of the county. Mr W C. Burton said it was difficult for him to comment as the whole business was very involved. Whatever happened someone must be hurt, and Mr Mason in particular would be very hurt. Mr Mason said the person who would be hurt was Dr Francis, and the board should fight for his appointment. To a question, the secretary (Mr D. J. Aitken) said the Health Department would approve the appointment of a full-time anaesthetist. He wondered whether it would be desirable for a committee of the board to meet the local branch of the British Medical Association and have a frank discussion with the view of resolving difficulties which had arisen. Members felt no good would result from such a meeting. Agreement Reached It was moved by Mr Grigg and seconded by Mrs MeQuilkin that Mr Mason be asked to withhold his resignation until after the discussion with Dr. Taylor. This was agreed to by Mr Mason The meeting then released a statement that it had accepted the resignations of Dr R. T Baker as visiting anaesthetist and Dr. Fra>ncis as visiting surgeon. The final section of the minutes reported that Mr Mason said he considered it would be improper for him to operate at the moment with either anaesthetist in view of the state of tension existing. “It was essential in the interests of the patients that there be complete harmony between surgeon and anaesthetist." Membersagreed with this suggestion. It was then moved by Messrs Grigg and Burton that in the meantime Mr Mason operate only in cases of real emergency.