More beds soon for Barrington?

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 6

More beds soon for Barrington?

PA Auckland 'A solution to Carrington Hospital’s . ?' overcrowding problem could be in sight within two weeks, says the hospital’s medical 7 superin•tenuent. - •' * Dr Fraser McDonald said yesterday that he hopes the Auckland Hospital Board would give approval for money to reopen an acute admissions ward which was closed two years ago as part of an economy drive. Once approval was given, the ward could be open again within two weeks. Until then, said Dr McDonald, some patients might still have to sleep on. the floor or on extra beds in acute admissions wards. . _.. .A nursing supervisor and a Public Service Association nursing representative, Miss Audrey Muir, , said the. staff was. frustrated, because negotiations with the : Hospital Board seemed to be making 1

I little advance in solving the i problem. ; At present, the acute mentally ill in Auckland — suffering disorders such as suicidal and manic depression or schizophrenia — are admitted to two wards with a 50-bed capacity. On Thursday, several patients were sleeping in seclusion rooms, bereft of all furniture, apart from plastic bed pans and mattresses on the floor. Dr McDonald said, “If somebody depressed and fairly disturbed is admitted to a room like this it convinces them that psychiatric hospitals are terrible places.” He said the reason for the overcrowding was overeconomising by the hospital in an effort to meet a .1 percent budget cut asked for by the Government. The hospital staff will hold a stop-work meeting on June 3 to discuss the problem.