CANBERRA HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 206, 28 May 1938, Page 7

CANBERRA HOSPITAL

Architect’s Evidence To Committee

The view that it would be necessary for the proposed new hospital at Canberra to contain more than 75 beds was expressed by Mr. Arthur George Stephenson, architect, Melbourne, in evidence before the Commonwleath Public Works Committee last week.

The committee is inquiring into the proposed erection of a new community hospital at Canberra, and is considering plans for a hospital of 147 beds at a net cost of about £160,000. Mr. Stephenson said that he was a member of the firm of Stephenson and Turner, associate architects for the new Royal Melbourne Hospital at Parkville, and he had made an extensive study of hospital designs and developments. He urged that a census of the requirements of the sick at Canberra should be prepared.

According to American statistics, 6.6 beds for each 1000 of population was a fair average on which to work, said Mr Stephenson. He found it impossible to state definitely how many beds there should be in Canberra, with its population of 10,000, because conditions varied greatly, but, on the data at his disposal, he would not suggest that it would be necessary to build a hospital containing more than 75 beds, exclusive of infectious and mental cases. In answer to the chairman (Mr. Francis, M.H.R.), Mr. Stephenson said that if the hospital became a central district hospital a larger population would have to be taken into consideration.

Mr. Leighton F. Irwin, the designer of the plans being considered by the committee, reappeared before the committee to answer questions. He said that he had estimated that a hospital of 106 beds would cost about £97,500 net. It would be similar to the hospital of 147 beds, except that certain equipment would be correspondingly reduced.