ST. HELENS HOMES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 67, 21 March 1933, Page 8

ST. HELENS HOMES

T.B. SANATORIA

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

HOSPITAL CONTROL

-An important statement in regard to the transfer of certain institutioas, including tuberculosis sanatoria and St. Helens maternity hospitals, from the control of the Health Department to hospital boards, was made, by the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) today. s/ ■ "The Health Department, as one of its activities, maintains certain institutions," said the Minister; "these are tivo sanatoria for treatment of early cases 'of pulmonary tuberculosis—one at Otaki for female patients, the other at Pukeora, near Waapukurau, for male patients; then there are'seven St. Helens maternity hospitals, one at each of the following centres:' Auckland, Wellington, Christchui;eh, Dnnedin, Gisborne, Wanganui, and Invercargill. In addition, there is the King George V general hospital at Botorua. Finally, there is an institution at Hanmer, tha Queen Mary Hospital for the accommodation of incipient nervous cases. ECONOMY COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS. _ The National Economy Commission, in reviewing the activities of the Health Department, commented' as follows as regards these different institutions:— we shall now deal with the institutions separately, and first consider tha position, in regard to the St. Helens hospitals. Many i public hospitals throughout the Dominion now provide maternity wards, and we see no reason why these special institutions controlled by the Health Department should not be handed over to the hospital boards in the centres affected. This would result in a unified system, and should not in any way affect the efficiency of tha service provided. If, necessary, the hospital boards could take over the present institutions, but it may be .found in some instances that the boards caa provide the necessary accommodation for maternity patients at the public hospitals. If this is found to"be so, some or all of the present St. Helens hospitals might be disposed of. If special accommodation for maternity patients-ii required it should be the duty of hospital boards to provide it. The taking over of these institutions by the relative hospital boards would necessitate increased maintenance subsidies from the Government, but there would nevertheless be a direct economy." The Economy Commission recommended the transfer of the Sanatoria at Otaki and Pukeora to the hospital boards. It was pointed out that the Sanatoria in the South Island were being sucCessfullyX administered by hospital boards. The Commission recommended that the King fieorge V general hosiptal should likewise be transferred; but did not think that the Hanmer neurological hospital should be under hospital 'board control. GOVERNMENT'S DECISION. "Arising out of the report of tha National Economy Commission, it has been decided hy the Government," said the Minister, "that the steps proposed therein should be aproved of as a matter of policy; and the Health Department is under instructions to work towards that end. . "As a first step negotiations have been entered into with the Palmerstoa North Hospital Board,in respect to the Otaki Sanatorium; with the Waipawa Hospital Board with respect to the Pukeora Sanatorium; and with the "Wanganui and Cook Hospital Boards in respect to the St. Helens hospitals ia Wanganui and Gisborne. "Already the Palmerston Jforth Hospital Board has agreed to take over the Otaki Sanatorium, as from April 1, and conduct it for the benefit of .such, of the North Island boards as may desire to avail themselves of the service, in the same manner as" in tha past. "With, regard to the other institutions, approaches will be made in due course to the several boards concerned with a view to entering into negotiations for the transfer of control. "In support of this policy, it^hould be mentioned that in the South Island the sanatoria are entirely under hospital control. The North Canterbury Hospital Board has the well-known institutions at Cashmere Hills. The Otago Hospital Board has a similar sanatorium at Pleasant Valley, Palmerston South, while a group" of boards conduct the sanatorium at Waipiata, in Central Otago. MATERNITY HOSPITALS. "Many hospital boards also have'recognised ,their responsibility for the maintenance of maternity hospitals; Among the larger boards which conduct separate maternity wards or annexes, in conjunction with their principal institutions, may be mentioned the hospital boards at Waikato, Palmerstoa North, South Canterbury, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, Whangarei, and Thames. In addition, of course, many hospital boards conduct maternity hospitals as outlying units of their organisation."