HOSPITAL STAFF.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 15, 19 January 1911, Page 3

HOSPITAL STAFF.

DISCUSSION IN CHEISTCHURCH. f»I XEIJSdjtAPH — SPECIAL TO IHI POST.] CHEISTCHURCH, This Day. A good deal of discussion took place i at the meeting of the Hospital and I Charitable Aid Board yesterday when j the Hospital Committee reported that the two junior assistant surgeons at the hospital had nearly completed their twelve months engagements, and as they had no desire to remain the committee, without loss of time, had authorised advertising for applicants to fill the positions. The house surgeon had also asked to be relieved of his duties in March next, and the committee recommenHed the acceptance of the resignation and that the board should sanction advertising for applications for the position with a salary increased to £500 a year. Mr. Tanner explained that the scheme of appointing junior medical officers at moderate salaries had been given a trial, but owing to different reasons had not been a success. Be Relieved that the theory was correct, but allowance had not been made for human 'nature, which outweighs everything else. Complaints had been made from time to time and the house 6urgeon had also complained in regard to his position. It had been recommended by the honorary medical staff that a medical superintendent with experience at the head of affairs of some city in the United Kingdom should be appointed, but if that was done the question of an adequate salary would have to be considered. He thought that the beet plan was to do as the committee suggested in its report. Dr. Valintine, Inspector of Hospitals, was at the meeting, and he remarked that there were doctors in hospitals in smaller centres of the Dominion who could fill the position, and who would be worth a good salary. He thought that it •would be better to select one of them than to bring a 'doctor from the United Kingdom. If the board approached certain doctors he mentioned, it would approach men who wer© very capable and worthy of the position. If experiments ■were made in regard to medical officers they should be made in the smaller hospitals, not the larger ones. The appointment of juniors at the Chrktchurch Hospital evidently had not been a success. The scheme was a good one, but it had not worked out well in Chris tchurch, and he was convinced that it was better to follow the course now suggested by, him. The chairman (Mr. F. Gr. Horrell) said -that he thought the board might appoint a medical superintendent, not a house surgeon, at £700 a year, a (second medical officer at £300. and three at £150. They could attend to all the institutions controlled by the board. That would bring th« expenses of the staffs' salaries up to £1450, instead of £1150 at present, but he thought that the increase would be justified if a thoroughly good man was obtained for head of the staff. The board finally earned an amendment to the committee's recommendation to the effect that the appointment of a medical superintendent should be left to , the Hospital Committee, with power to ; invite applications at a salary of £700 a year with quarters, fuel, and light.