HOSPITAL FEES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1934, Page 4

HOSPITAL FEES

NELSON ESTIMATE

TREATMENT OF; UNEM-

PLOYED

(Special ; ; .to tjve "Evening,, Post.")

NELSONj-May 9,

vThe Nelson Hospital -Board, at today 's meeting received ;.a.- letter from! the Health regrettirig.-that it- was unable' to approve the' estimated amount of patients' fees in .the annual estimates which had been forwarded to the Department. The estimate was £4000, and the Department stated that it would require the board to increase the amount by not less than £406 ilt was contended that the' estimate for | this item should not be decreased while there was an increase in the number of beds occupied in the institution.

- The -chairman (Major R. Dagger) said 'the; board had "not arrived-at its estimate without' giving it very serious consideration. It was a question whether, '/the-, .people in Wellington knew/.^mpre-about it than the board. Tvhich" Tvasron the spqt.> The Department-, had probably lost-iSight the f act- tthat; the '"increase-• in the number of beds' occupied could "be accounted for to a. large extent bylthe great number of outside relief workers at present in the district. These patients had to iemain in hospital longer than others because they could not.be discharged for convalescence as they had'nowhere to go. It was almost impossible to collect fees from them. In addition, in tho last- two years the; outstanding accounts had been raked with fair success, but the board would not have the same material to work on in this respect in the future. .■••••-

The secretary was instructed to write to the Department pointing out the facts taken into consideration in arriving at the estimate for patients' fees. Any further action is left to the .town committee.1 • ' ; . "■ ......