Grant needed for ward to open

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 5

Grant needed for ward to open

Because no commissioning, grant had been made available for stage one of the new building at Princess Margaret I lospital, the ward would not be able to open until next year, the North Canterbury Hospital Board was told yesterday.

I The ward would be completed soon, and $lBO,OOO

was needed to begin operation. The chief executive of the board (Mr J. G. Laurenson) said that because a letter went astray, the board was not able to submit its requirements to the Department of Health before the date submissions closed. The department has indicated that no provision has been made in its estimates for the current year and has suggested to the board that it re-examine its proposed staffing schedule with a i view to reducing estimated expenditure for the year. A recommendation from the finance committee that the board make strong representations to the department immediately, requesting reconsideration of a commissioning grant, was approved by the board. The committee felt that it was imperative that the new block be made operational as soon as possible. The new ward block at the Christchurch Hospital may be finished by June, 1977. The chairman of the works committee of the board (Mr W. L. F. Utley) said that this was the first time, the committee had been given a date for completion, although it ha’d not been in writing.

Professor D. W. Beaven said he was concerned that j the hospital block would be r completely during the win- > ter, when the demand on beds was high. He hoped that it could be completed ; earlier. Mr Utley said that there jwas no possibility of putting, (any more pressure on the I 11 architects or the contractors ;jto get a definite date of I :i completion. 11 The site for a spinal in- ; jury unit at Burwood Hospiijtal was being cleared, so ■ that the building could proi|ceed. A contract from James : Contracting, Ltd, had been (approved. The acting chairman (Mrs |L. C. Gardiner) said that . board members had been concerned for, some time about the lack of progress on the spinal unit. Another area of concern was the lack of progress on the four new villas at Sunnyside Hospital. Mrs M. McG. Clark said that the villas were supposed to be completed .by the end of last year. “You can have unfinished) books, but you can not have! unfinished villas,’’ she said. The board has requested that the chief executive (Mr J. G. Laurenson) look in to the matter.