HOSPITAL TAXED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 185, 4 May 1936, Page 14

HOSPITAL TAXED

Increase in Admissions at Wellington The number of admissions to the Wellington Public Hospital in March, 1930, was 766, as against 724 for the same month of 1935, stated the superintendent, Dr. A. R. Thorne, reporting to the board at its meeting on Thursday night. The number jf outpatients attendances for the same periods showed a big increase also this year, the figure being 8396 as against 6727 last year. The chairman, Mr. F. Castle, said these figures meant a steady increase in the demand for beds. lie had been round the hospital and it was definitely overcrowded in some wards. He thought they should tell the public that they were at the present time up against a difficult jxtsition. Mr. It. Holland said the figures uidicated an increase in the popularity of the hospital. The fees committee report showed that the total maintenance fees collections for the year 1935-36~were £24,526, as against £21,392 in the previous year, aud £19,322 for 1933-34. The chairman of the committee, Mr. A. H. Carman, said the increase in the fees collected was at a higher rate than the rate of increase in the number of patients at the hospital. Receipts, expenditure and the number of patients in the hospital had exceeded the estimate. The collection of fees per occupied bed was £39/6/- for 1935-36. as against £37 6/11 for 1934-35, and £36/7/1 for 193334. That, said Mr. Carman, was an increase greater than the increase in the number of occupied beds. It showed that they were making an effort to collect fees which were collectable. Before any doubtful case was written off there was a thorough investigation.