Hospital Paraplegic Unit "Inadequate"

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31976, 1 May 1969, Page 19

Hospital Paraplegic Unit "Inadequate"

Facilities and staffing in the paraplegic unit at the Christchurch Hospital were inadequate, the retiring president of the Paraplegic Association (Canterbury), Mr W. L. F. Utley, said at the annual meeting of the association.

He suggested that New Zealand was only big enough for one properly staffed and housed unit.

The newly formed Federation of Paraplegic Associations should approach the Government for

Assistance in alterations to paraplegics’ homes where kitchen and toilets should be adapted and ramps provided. The provision of wheelchairs

under social welfare. Assistance in providing transport to a paraplegic’s job; all paraplegics should be completely independent as regards transport he said.

Fund raising for the paraplegics' hostel in Christchurch

was not very successful, Mr Utley said. About $ll,OOO had been raised but this was not enough to do much in the way of a hostel. The main difficulty was the uncertainty of a site. It could possibly be at Burnham, he said. The association hoped to collect $50,000 for the hostel.

The guest speaker, Mrs M. Lester said that a draft code of architectural aids for the disabled would be introduced in New Zealand next week by the Standards Association. “We know what makes buildings accessible but we must educate architects, designers and town planners," she said. Mrs Lester said that stairs were an almost impassable barrier to disabled people. Ramps were cheaper so why not build them? A paraplegic, Mrs Lester has a bachelor of architecture apd has represented Victoria in Australian national paraplegic games. Officers elected were:— President, Mr W. D. Goode; vice-presidents, Miss J. Derbridge, Dr J. A. K. Cunningham, Messrs W. L. F. Utley, W. A. Liddell, J. E. Milner and C. G. Crawford; secretary, Mrs H. McCaul; treasurer, Mr D. Tarrant; executive, Miss M. Roberts, Bro. Collins, Messrs R. De Joux, D. Anderson, L. Link, C. Morris, M. Goode, W. Lapslie.