HOSPITAL SALARIES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 105, 27 January 1933, Page 8

HOSPITAL SALARIES

Closer Watch Urged by Dr. Campbell Begg ‘VERY SERIOUS WEAKNESS’ A plea that a closer watch should be kept on the payment, of salaries to medical officers was made by Dr. R. Campbell Begg at the monthly meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board yesterdaiii reviewing the statement of ordinary receipts and expenditure for the nine months ended December 31, 1932, the chairman, Mr. F. Castle, said that the board had been unable to keep within the estimates. This had been brought about by the fact that they had had to increase the staff, which had caused the estimates under this head to be exceeded by £2600. The increase for charitable aid had been caused through it taking four months instead of three to transfer the main burden of relief to the Government. Dr. R. Campbell Begg said that the amount paid for salaries for the nine months was not only £2660 above the estimate for that period, but a comparison of the figures would show that the increase was progressive and the position becoming worse month by month. This, he said, disclosed a very serious weakness in the administration of the hospital. The administrative officers should have been able to furnish the board at the beginning of the year with the details of personnel and salary required or at least estimated, and at any time when tlie board or its committees were asked to sanction further appointments or staff it should have been made clear at the time that the sanction would involve amounts not provided for in the estimates. The administrative officers should have had a close enough knowledge of the position to do this. It seemed clear that no close watch was being kept on this position, and it was only In a monthly return that the board saw what was actually paid out. This matter was not one that the board could itself check, and it disclosed a distinct weakness in the management of the hospital. This position, continued Dr. Begg, could not rest where it was. In the provision of staff and in the emoluments it paid to the senior administrative officers the board had been more than liberal, and It had a right to demand a higher service than it appeared to be getting. At any rate the board itself must take the blame if it did not demand more detailed supervision and information from its administrative control to enable it to shape its policies and make provision for its finance. The chairman said it had been extremely difficult to keep salaries and wages down to an exact figure. The board had anticipated that the cuts in salaries would sro right through the staff, but they had not done so. A certain amount, had been necessary for additional medical service.