Hospital 'sale’ reflects fears

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 3

Hospital 'sale’ reflects fears

By

DEBORAH McPHERSON DEBORAH McPHERSON

Coronation Hospital staff and patients were left pondering their future yesterday, after a prankster left a “For Sale” sign with the words "sold” in Japanese. The hospital is one of several that has been suggested for closing to help the Canterbury Area Health Board knock $3O million from its budget. The "For Sale” sign had the Harcourts real estate emblem on it but the company’s managing director, Mr Steve Collins, assured the hospital it had nothing to do with the prank. “We certainly have not been approached to sell the hospital,” he said. The sign was removed

after hospital staff rang to complain he said. “Someone must have stolen a sign from a house and stuck on the words,” said Mr Collins. “We do not even have any signs with Japanese on them.” Some hospital staff took the prank fairly lightly yesterday, but said it highlighted the threat to the hospital. None of the staff knew who had put the sign up. A petition to save the hospital and keep the patients together is al-, ready being circulated among staff, patients and relatives. The Coronation Relatives Support Group will hold a meeting at the hospital next Wednesday at 3 p.m. to discuss the possible threat to it