‘Alarming’ Waiting List For Hospital Beds

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 8

‘Alarming’ Waiting List For Hospital Beds

A hospital waiting list of nearly 4000 names was alarming, said Mr V. J. Corbett at a meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board yesterday. He said a decrease of 21 names since May was not very gratifying, and the public should be told that the board was doing its best.

“I know it’s tied up with the availability of beds,” said Mr Corbett, “but the public should be given some reason why the numbers are not decreasing.” Dr. M. L. Berry, the board’s medical superin-tendent-in-chief, said the list was being constantly reviewed, and the beds were being used to the maximum. “We are try-

ing, to get som *, relief by further anaesthesia sessions, but we can’t do that until we get further anaesthetists.” Mr Corbett asked if Dr. Berry expected any .improvement in the immediate future. Dr. Berry said that by reshuffling with Coronation Hospital the board would get more beds, and when the gynaecology department moved to St. Helens there would be more breathing space. It was also hoped to get three extra operating sessions at Burwood, which would give some relief. “I can’t at the moment see how we can use the beds here or at Princess Margaret Hospital to better advantage,” said Dr. Berry. Mr J. B. Hay asked how the Christchurch situation compared with other centres. “Is it a national problem?” he asked. Dr. Berry replied that Auckland’s figures for March,

1963, showed that the position there was very considerably worse on a population basis. Dr. L. C.-L. 'Averill, chairman of the board, said orthopaedic cases took up beds for extended time, and he was glad to hear that the new theatre at Burwood would be used , the maximum to reduce those numbers.

One or two hospital boards, said Mr Corbett, were advocating paying beds, but he failed to see how any board could advocate that when they had waiting lists already. Paying beds would just aggravate the waiting lists. Dr. Averill said that had not cropped up in Christchurch. Mr Corbett said he wanted to nip it in the bud.