Fund For Cardiac Unit “Premature”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 18

Fund For Cardiac Unit “Premature”

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, November 13. The move to establish a fund of £50,000 to hasten the establishment of a third cardiac unit in Dunedin is considered “premature” by the chairman of the Otago Hospital Board (br. J. Fulton).

The idea of “obtaining thousands of signatures pressing for the early establishment of a third unit” should also await more information, he said tonight. “A writer in a newspaper recently made the statement that Dunedin needed the third unit now,” Dr. Fulton said. “More important in my opinion is an answer to the question as to whether there are enough cardiac cases offering annually in New Zealand at present to justify a third unit. “It would be premature to consider it until this is established," he said.

At the request of the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) the Hospitals’ Advisory Council would investigate the matter fully, going into the many figures and facts involved and to make a recommendation, he said. “The Otago Hospital Board was heartened in its endeavours to have-the second unit situated in Dunedin by the widespread support it was given by other organisations and by citizens in general,” Dr. Fulton said. “However, now that the second unit is definitely to be established in Wellington, I feel that any further action should await the finding of the Advisory Council which will meet at the end of November,” he said.