ESSENTIAL WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 9

ESSENTIAL WORK

AT WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

MASSAGE, PLASTER. SPLINT-

MAKING.

Striking attention is drawn in a report to the board by Dr. W. M. "Wilson, Medical Superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, to the valuable work which has been done during the past year by the Physio-Therapeutic Department. "This out-patient 'department," he says, "really comprises the following : Massage department, plaster department, ?n£™ 6p makin S department; 5013 (oU07) patients were seen in this depart"l° nt > with a total of 21,362 attendances (<jU,l97). "This department continues to give excellent service to the hospital, both for m and out-patients. Dr. Robertson supervises the several branches of this department, viz., the massage, plaster, and splint-making departments. In addition, he haa charge of a> ward in the children s hospital, where the crippled children in-patients arc housed. During the year Miss Richardson took over tho duties of sistcr-in-charge, vice Sister Mitchell, resigned. "Although wo have all the facilities required for treatment, yet these several departments are widely scattered, makin" administration difficult and increasing loss of time. In addition, the massage department is situated in an* undesirablo position for crippled patients. However, we look forward to. centralising these departments when the new blocks aro erected. In-the plaster department 793 splints and casts were made for 630 inpatients and 163 out-patients. "Splint Departnient : 479 splints or special orthopoedio apparatuses were made during the year—36B for hospital patients, and 111 for outside hospitals or other practitioners. This department is doing most valuable work, and it was gratifying to find we were able to provide all the special splints required during the recent epidemic by our ordinary staff. Without this rk-inrlmcnt our efforts at treatment would have, been loss successful. I feel very grateful to tho sisters and mures of the plaster department, and the men of the splint department for their efforts during tho-recent epidemic. "Splints costing £535 were supplied to hospital patients, of which £!IGB has been collected. Cost of splints supplied "llcr, hospitals and practitioners was £273, of wmch £200 was" collected. The outstanding payments should be all good debts, but I think the Fees Committee should review these debts monthly as this work is only done to oblige where facilities do not exist, and it Will not pay us, to continue such work if payment is not promptly made. Although the terms aro 'cash on delivery,' yet, it is difficult to actually carry this out in practice. This department will bo working under pressure for some months to undertake tho work required as a result of tho recent epidemic of infantile pai'aljrujs,'*