Women’s hospital

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 10

Women’s hospital

Sir, -r In reply to my.letter on bookings for the women’s hospital (March 21) Mr Grigg did not answer my question. He states, “Instructions to the booking committee are that admissions be divided on the basis of 50/50 between the hospital and private practitioners.” This is not what the Minister of Health recommended. Mr Gair approved a recommendation made by the Hospital Advisory Council that the number of beds be divided on a 50/50 basis not the number of admissions. This is quite a different proposition. There are 60 maternity beds in the women’s hospital, therefore, 30 should go to the doctor of their choice and 30 to the hospital clinic. The Minister also recommended that private practitioners be given greater autonomy in allocation of those beds among themselves. Is the board deliberately misunderstanding the Minister’s intentions conditional on the closing of Essex Maternity Hospital? When are the Minister's recommendations going to be carried out? — Yours, etc., HELEN J. CHAMBERS. March 21,1981.

[Mr T. C. Grigg, chairman, North Canterbury Hospital Board, replies: “I and surprised that Mrs Chambers is unable to understand the current position concerriitig admissions to iCliristehurch Women’s Hospital. The Minister’s derision to close Essex Hospital Was conveyed to the board in a letter from the Department of Health setting out certain conditions. In a subsequent letter, the Department of Health stated that the interpretation of 50 per cent open and 50 per cent I closed beds could be in terms I of 1100 deliveries in open beds, and 1100 in closed beds, rather than 30 open beds and 30 ♦ closed beds. The board has • instructed the booking committee to act strictly in accordance With this interpretation. As I previously stated, the booking committee controls, all admissions to Christchurch Women’s Hospital, and the Minister’s recommendation .that private practitioners be given greater autonomy in allocating beds among themselves is. exactly what the board is doing. The three-man booking Committee Consists of orie part-time board employee, arid two general practitioners Who are not employees of the board. I hope that this will j enable Mrs Chambers to see

f made following the closure of Essex Hospital are being carried out.”]