Hospital cardiac unit ‘No. 1 priority’

Press, 26 May 1977, Page 2

Hospital cardiac unit ‘No. 1 priority’

The North Canterbury Hospital Board will not accept further Government delays over plans to build New Zealand’s fourth cardiac surgical unit in Christchurch.

The board yesterday unanimously made the heart unit a “No. 1 priority” because the Government already had the report from an overseas expert, Mr J. Keith Ross, which supported the setting up of a heart unit in Christchurch.

Of equal importance was the establishment of a neurosurgical unit in Christchurch, the board decided. The chairman (Mr T. C. Grigg) said that it was of the utmost importance for Christchurch to have both units. “The full range of medical treatment must be available on the same basis as the other main centres,” he said.

Mr Grigg said that the board and its staff had found the long series of negotiations on the heart unit most frustrating but accepted the appointment of an overseas expert with confidence knowing the strength of the board’s case. “Now that Mr Ross has supported the Christchurch unit it is over to the Government to give its approval to this urgent service without delay,” he said. “The people of Canterbury are entitled to the same services that are provided in the other three main centres in New Zealand. From the time that approval is given, it will take anything from three to five years before the unit is functioning.” Discussions on the neurosurgical unit had been held in Dunedin with the Otago Hospital Board on Tuesday, said Mr Grigg. By contemporary international standards, the population of the board’s area should be served by two neurosurgeons.

“The Wellington unit has three neurosurgeons for

much the same population as the North Canterbury Hospital Board.” “A large percentage of a neurosurgeon’s work is on head injuries and I find it incredible that these cases should have to be sent to Dunedin — 63 cases last year,” Mr Grigg said. The board’s medical super-intendent-in-chief (Dr L. McH Berry) said that 1700 head-injury cases were admitted to hospitals in the board's area last year. Not all required surgery but 32 cases were operated on in Christchurch. These operations were not done by a neurosurgeon but by the “best man on the spot,” Dr Berry said. The Government’s tardiness in announcing the 197778 grant for the board is causing doubt about its ability to meet its estimated expenditure for the year — more than S7IM. Last year the board found it impossible to budget realistically, because it did not get confirmation of its 197677 grant until November. The board spent almost $59.3M last year, which ineluded overspending $203,416 in its maintenance account. In their annual reports, presented yesterday, the board’s chief executive (Mr J. G. Laurenson) and the treasurer (Mr F. R. Harrison) both highlighted the board’s financial straits. Their views were echoed by board members, who emphasised that part of the problem of financing was caused by the central con-trol-of health, finance and administration. The delayed allocations meant that the board was forced to prepare budgets based on last year’s expenditure, Mr Laurenson said. “This is the first time in my memory that the board has found itself in this position since fixed allocations were instituted.” He said the board was able to carry on normal

activities because it assumed it would not get less money than last year.

“What we do not know is what measure of increase we shall get so that we can plan accordingly.” The board could not allow hospital development to stand still, nor could it afford to let the situation drift until it became too late to organise a proper use of the allocation when it was announced. The position was prevented from getting out of hand only by a very tight rein on staff numbers. If it had not been for supplementary grants to such units as the Christchurch Clinical School and the stage one development of Christchurch Hospital, the board “would have been in a very sorry position,” said Mr Laurenson. Unless the hospitals were given adequate finances the public would be the losers; unless proper facilities were provided, highly specialised staff would be lost, he said. Mr Harrison said that all loan funds were exhausted by the end of March, and the board would have to raise $10.6M this financial year if it was to continue all new projects. The chairman of the board’s finance committee (Mr C. F. Whitty) said that the delay in announcing allocations was quite contrary to any sound business practice. Mrs L. C. Gardiner, chairman of the board’s institutions’ committee, said the board seemed to be discriminated against. “We should not be expected to carry on in this way,” she said. A great deal of planning had gone into proposed new geriatric and psychiatric services, but these plans were stalemated because of a lack of finance. “We cannot just mark time, but it seems that there is not enough money to do what we know should be done,” Mrs Gardiner said.