THE HOSPITALS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 103, 28 October 1932, Page 11

THE HOSPITALS

CHANGE IN CONTROL

COMMISSION'S REPORT

DIVERGENT TIEWS

The need for a thorough investigation into hospital administration in New Zealand was urged by the Government member for Wellington Suburbs (Mr. E. A. AVright) in the llouso of Representatives last night. He referred tothe ever-increasing cost of maintaining the hospital system of the Dominion. A contrary view was taken by the Government member for Palmersto'n (Mr. J. A. Nash), who warmly assailed the ..findings of the Commission. Mr. Wright referred in the first place to the enormous increase which had taken place in the cost of hospital administration, and said that the cost per'head of the population had jumped from 9s 4d to £1 os lOd. The portion of the report to which he wished to refer particularly was that which suggested that economies could be effected without impairing the efficiency of the system. The Commission pointed uut quite correctly that there were far too.-many small, hospitals in New Zealand. At the same time he had no sympathy with those who thought: that patients should be discharged earlier or that they should not be received at all. He did not stand for that. It must be obvious that the small hospitals could not have anything like the equipment that the large hospitals had. There were at present 45 hospital districts in the Dominion, and the Co'inmission/recommended- that they should be reduced,to, eighteen. A similar retcommendation had been made by the Health . Department years ago. Sir. AVright referred to! the high cost of maintaining beds in the small hospitals, and urged that the Government, should' make a thorough i investigation of the recommendations of the Commission. The main consideration was that the patients should not suffer in any way. ,Mi\ P. Pi-aser (Labour, Wellington Central): Is"there "anything new in the report that has-not been before the country for yeara and years? THE NEED ?OR BATTLE, ; Mr. Wright said, that that might be the:, case,, but in .the case of every, reform it had'been necessary to battle away for years and years., He submitted that there was a ease to answer. The Economy Commission had gone thoroughly into the' matter,- and it was now for v tho Government to carry out a. complete investigation.' The Govr eminent should endeavour to see whether the statements of the Comi mission''were- correct arid whether it could, give effect to them. Mr. J. A." Nash ' (Government, Palmerston) " vigorously assailed the reeoniinendations. .of the Commission, regarding hospital administration. "In. New Zealand we 'have cause to feel proud of our hospitals and their administration," said Mr.'Nash, "and we should" jealously guard any interference .that might tend to take away'from the people that for which they have worked so earnestly for ; so many'years past." ' > The "late Director-General of Health had advocated a reduction in the number of hospitals, but this could not be carried out. hi the 'drastic manner suggested by. the Connnission. Mr. Nash described as most" unfair the proposal that the hpnoraria of cliairnien of hospital boards should be discontihned. 'To-day the -work had become. 'full' time", and the allowances .giyqn for the services performed were inadequate. •. He did not agree with the Commission's views regarding the length, .of. stay in hospitals, and he regretted deeply that that body should ha^proposed a further reduction in the "measly pittance" received by the. probationers. Probationers performed a wonderful service to humanity, and it was to be sincerely hoped that the Government would utterly disregard the .(Commission's recommendations under that heading. Mr Nash defended the present method of purchasing stores as being entirely sound,! and characterised as a very retrograde and absurd proposal the suggestion that local bodies should take a hand in the administration of charitable aid. The only body competent to deal with charitable aid was the hospital board. It was difficult to nnaerstand why the Commission had advanced the proposals. The Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young): The-.whole thing would break down. V- " .-.?.. PILING XTP CHARGES. Mr. Nash: Of course it would. We cannot go on piling up the charges on the local bodies. They are carrying quite A sufficient load as it is, when one remembers the amount-ex^ pended in connection with. the relief of unemployment in allowing relief workers' to work off their rates • and their lighting accounts. Concerning the suggestidns for the collection of fees, Mr. Nash said the boards were already doing all that was possible in that direction. If a relief worker who had to go into hospital could not pay, the board took the humanitarian vie w, and huge sums were being written- off.annually in that connection. , ->