WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

LOWEST MAINTENANCE COST

NEW CONSTRUCTION

The monthly meeting of the "Wellington Hospital Board was held yesterday, Mr. C. M. Luke in the chair

It was agreed to call tenders for plastering the whole of the outside walls of the latest building of the nurses' home, and that the Finance Committee be empowered to accept a tender, as the work is urgent. Four letters of appreciation of hospital treatment were received.

Authority was given to cable a duplicate order for £400 worth of sheetings and Manchester goods, to replace a consignment oh the Northumberland.

The resignations of Nurses Bradshaw and Greig, who have completed their four years' course of training, were accepted with regret. It'was resolved, if necessary, to advertise in the Home papers f#r a tutor sister. It was pointed outj however, that a fully qualified New Zealand nurse now in Egypt would probably accept such a position. Further inquiries will be made with regard to the matter. PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL. Iv reply to Mr. 'F. Bennett, the medical superintendent said, that the number of patients at present in the hospital is 490. The medical superintendent stated, in answer to a question by Mr. J. H. Helliwell, that the cases of influenza in the hospital were of. a mild nature; and there has been no increase in the number of cases of diphtheria. Regarding the tuberculosis clinic, the hospital was now working hand in hand with the school medical-officers, who were investigating doubtful cases referred to the hospital for observation by Dr. Short, tuberculosis specialist. That was the reason for the increase of cases in this clinic. -; The chairman stated that the maintenance cost per bed of ■Wellington Hospital was lower than that of the other chief centres, the figures being:— Wellington, £177; Auckland, £181; Dunedin, £212; Christehureh, £215. I SOCIAL WELFARE CASES.

The chairman of.the Social Welfare Committee, Mr. G. Petherick, said the Ohiro Home was just now running to its full limit, and the board might have to face the provision of additional accommodation in the near future.

The board decided that provision be made on the estimates for four additional sisters.

Mr. Petherick gave the following particulars of cases of deserting husbands and fathers, whose neglect had thrown the cost of maintaining their families upon the board:—l 926, November/ 25 cases, cost £118; December, 25 cases, cost £130. 1927-r-January, 28 eases, cost £160; total for three months £408.

The agenda paper of the conference of the Hospital Boards Association to be held at Christehureh next week was submitted to the board. Mr. P. criticised the report of tho special committee of purchasing officers on the question of combined buying of hospital boards and on the standardisation of equipment and supplies. Tho overhead charges involved in the carrying out of such a scheme must, he said, be borne in mind; such cost would be very considerable.

The chairman pointed out that any decision come to by the conference would have to be confirmed by the individual boards before it could be operative. NEW KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY. Mr. Mair, Government Architect, reported that^ as requested ho had examined the tenders submitted " for the new kitchen, laundry, stored, etc., and the engineering . services connected therewith; the 'lowest tender in each case was satisfactory. With the concurrence of the Department of Health, he recommended the acceptance of the Fletcher Construction Company's tender of £20,495 and James J. Nivon and Co.'s tender of £10,180 7s Gd for the building and the engineering services respectively. A condition was made with respect to the lift included in the second tender. The tenders wore accepted as recommended.