HOSPITAL POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 138, 11 June 1926, Page 8

HOSPITAL POLICY

MINISTER AT PALMERSTON

NORTH

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

PALMERSTON N., This Day

A conference took place at Palmerston North yesterday between the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) and Director-General of Health (Dr. T. A. Valintine) aud the Palmerston North Hospital Board, principally regarding what form of hospital should be continued at Otaki and the question of establishment of a maternity hospital at Palmerston North. The Minister suggested that Otaki should not bo left without any local service. Ho thought the board should establish a maternity ward of four beds and two other beds for the reception of urgent sickness and accident cases, which would bo transferred to Palmerston North by ambulance at the earliest possible moment. The Minister said that major sub-hos-pitals would not be _lowed in tho future. All major operations should be p-rformed at the base hospitals, of which there would be only one for each district, and Otaki was not going to be made a major sub-hospital. He realised the difficulties of the board, but thought it should provide some maternity treatment at Otaki. Tho members of the board deemed I the Minister's suggestion too costly. I They said they would rather retain I tho old system. It was pointed out I that when the maternity Hospital was established at Palmerston North trained maternity nurs^i wo id serve the country districts by going to the homes, hence, perha^ , there would be no need of a maternity ward at Ot ki, in which case the board would consider the rest of the Minister's suggestion regarding emergency wards. After lengthy discussion, it was unanimously resolved to leave the matter of a d --ision or iroly in tho hands of the Minister to - say what tho board must do. , In reference to the maternity hospital, Mr. A. Nash, M.P., said the St. Helens Home fund, -amounting to £3300, had been offered to the board unconditionally towards building such an institution. Tho estimated cost' of tho building was £8500, but the total would probably be £10,000. The Minister was asked for a 24s subsidy in the £ on the total cost. Mr, Young replied that the board had a good case for -that subsidy on the amount' raised, but not on the total cost of the building. He disputed the contention that what was now asked had been promised by earlier Ministers. In any case the maximum subsidy was now 20s.

The matter was deterred to enable Mr. Nash to go into the question with the Minister at Wellington.