FOR HOSPITAL BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 97, 27 April 1931, Page 7

FOR HOSPITAL BOARD

PROFESSIONAL MEN

DR. WILSON'S VIEWS

Among the candidates for the Wellington. Hospital Board aro two wellknown medical men, Dr. 11. Campbell Begg and Dr. D. Mac Donald Wilson, whose candidaturo has received the full support of both the Civic League and tho Ratepayers' Association as that of professional men whose knowledge of hospital affairs should be of tho greatest value to other members: of the board, and therefore to the sound administration of hospital affairs. ■ In a statement of his attitude towards the hospital, Dr. Wilson to-day; remarked that much criticism.had been, levelled at the Hospital Board on the ground of extravagance. His experience was that members of the board were fully conscious of their responsibilities, and watched tho financial side very closely. The shortcomings had been to his mind a lack of continued policy by successive boards for many years past. Capital expenditure had been made to meet emergencies of the day, and unless a very definite policy, was immediately settled regarding the hospital he could see no end to tho increasing financial burden. In discussing a policy for the Wei-' lington Hospital one should not focus.' all one's attention on the local hospital. Eatepayers find half tho cost through rates levied by the local authority, but they also pay towards the other half by their contributions to the Consolidated Fund, said Dr. Wilson. Thus they must' be interested in not only their local hospital, but in the whole national hospital system. PROBLEMS AHEAD. At present the efficiency of the hospital is being jeopardised by continn* ing policies of the past. How is thW happening? There has recently beea a danger of new additions to a building which is already in an impossible position for the best efficiency. This would have added to tho already heterogeneous mixture of buildings jeopardising efficiency, and a Continuation of a policy already responsible for -muck wasteful expenditure. POLICY AS TO BUILDINGS. , Before any additional building is even, considered there should be an irir vostigation into policy for the future. Tho general hospital has reached such a size that the continuation of it as a general reception institution must in the near future cease. In working out a scheme for the future tho presence of medical men on the board would be an asset. CO-OPERATION BETWEEN BOARD AND STAFF. No institution can function efficiently without the fullest co-operatioa between the controlling body and staff. The hospitals in New Zealand aro peculiar in that 'the staff wholly responsible for the« efficient treatment of tha sick have no voieo in their management. Tho laws governing our hospitals make that impossible. Since ia the past the body controlling the hospital, but shunning all responsibility for the acts of its staff, has been composed of lay members, can it be any wonder if there is that lack of co-op-eration so essential to the hospital! Both bodies have an earnest de-sire to serve the hospital, but how can a body ot lay men fully interpret the views o£ the professional staff on technical matters? I consider it essential to have- a sprinkling of medical men on the board v*-*B3^-* the otilGr "'embers in their difficulties in dealing with technical matters.