PUREOKA SANATORIUM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 56, 29 November 1919, Page 11

PUREOKA SANATORIUM

PATIENTS DISCUSS PENSIONS REPLY TO.GENERAL M'GAVIN'S REPORT At a general meeting of the patients of I'ukeroa Sanatorium, the business . that came up for discussion consisted of Brigadier-General At'Gaviu's report to the 'Minister of Defence, a copy of which appeared in the Press recently, matters relating to pensions. and land soUlcment for,discharged tubercular patients. A great deal of discussion arose on the subject of pension matters. It was nointcd out that the discharged, single private, a patient in hospital or sanatorium was granlco a pension of J!2 per week, aim the undischarged single private. had only his military pay of 355. per week. At llio present timo it was possible that a patient on discharge from' hospital might have his pension reduced if ho was declared lit by a medical officer. In the opinion of, patients this course was entirely wrong. _ A patient on discharge should automatically be placed on a full pension, eflual to a living wage for a period of ' twelve months, thus enabling the benefit derived from treatment some chance of _ becoming permanent. At the present time, on discharge from hospital or sanatorium a "T. 8." man drew a pension for a period of throe or six months, the amount of which was subject to control bv a mcdical board. On the expiration of that period the ex-patient naturally looked around for employment, and if ho was fortunate. and obtained a position of a congenial nature, in the open air, all was well, but on tho contrary,, should the sufferer be forced to a sedentary or any occupation unsuitable or likely, in any way, to retard a complete recoverv. the disease regained its former hold, with the result that the victim either returned to hospital or became a menace to tho public. Burins the discussion on land settlement for "T.B.'s" tho opinion was expressed that it was a strange thing that the Government had not brought torward a scheme for settling discharged tubercular patients on tho land, as among the occupations' that wero eminnntlv suitable for "T. 8." men wero those of orcharding, bee-keeping, poultry farming gardening, etc. The chairman and secretary tho Pa.tisnts' Welfare Committee were instructed to reply to Brigadier-General M Gavin's report.

The reply states that tlio food subnu. e<l to patients for some time after then Li rival was unsuitable, but a larger range as been installed, and V.A.D.'s ]iavo aken over the kitchen, thus minimising he complaints regarding food. Regardn£ the method of formulating comilaints the reply stales —'A committeo ras set up. the second week alter tlio rrival of the patients, about September o,' and on the complaints being, placed lefore Major Short, he asked tho coninittee to allow him twenty-four hours race before taking action. After foi't} * ight bom's had elapsed, and as nothing lad been done, iv complaints committeo ras appointed, a full report drawn up. .nd forwarded to the Returned Soldiers , Association,- this step being deemed necesary owing to the fact lilvat a number ot jatients had .threatened to take action, •iz.j walk out of the sanatorium unless ;here were prompt signs of grievances jeing rectified. After a full report was 'ormulated and plated in the hands of ;he Returned Soldiers' Association, the jomplaints .committee ■ resigned, and ,«■ ivolfaro committeo was . elected in its stead to assisli in smoothing over any lifficultios that may arise in the future, forward complaints re stoppage of pay, Allowances, pensions, etc., affecting lihe interests of patients iu tho sauatorium and also 011 discharge. At no tims whatever have patients been prevented by tho welfare committeo or any other committee from .making complaints dirjct to the officer in charge. It was only as a Inst resource that complaints were forwarded to tho Returned Soldiers' Association. • No complaints , have been, or will be, forwarded out of tho institution, at any time, before being submitted to the officer in charge. The following motion was carried unanimously by tho meeting: "That tho Director-Gcn'cral of Medical _ Services be severely censured for the misleading reporl; mad.-) to tho Minister of Defence as published iu the Press of November 21, also for allowiug such a considerable period to elapse before visiting the sanatorium in order to make himself conversant regarding existing conditions." The following resolution was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting place on record its deep gratitude to those residents in and around this district, and also the Red Cross, patriotic societies, and the T.M.C.A., who have so ably and successfully assisted in the entertainment of the patients of this sanatorium."