Care of patients

Press, 27 September 1983, Page 16

Care of patients

Sir,—Correspondence on the care of patients has highlighted the increasing emphasis on discharging patients into the community. This concern requires considerate attention. One major problem exists — the availability of the rest-home subsidy for the psychiatric patient. Many other patients who seek such care, security and supervision, qualify for this subsidy but it is not available to patients discharged from the North Canterbury Hospital Board’s psychiatric institutions. The subsidy is, however, available to psychiatric patients in other hospital board areas, so why not here? — Yours, etc., CAROLINE B. CARTWRIGHT. September 19, 1983.

[The chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, Mr T. C. Grigg, replies: “The fact that the rest home subsidy has not been available to former psychiatric patients has appeared to be a

serious anomaly for many years, and the North Canterbury Hospital Board has pressed governments for a change. Rather than being the only board out of step, the North Canterbury Hospital Board is in the same position as the rest of New Zealand, with Auckland being the only board allowed to apply this subsidy, and it is understood some unsatisfactory practices have evolved.”]