OBSTETRICS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1934, Page 8

OBSTETRICS

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL

GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE

STATED BY MINISTER

The Government's attitude towards the provision of a new obstetrical hospital at Dunedin was outlined today by the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young) in an interview with a "Post" representative. The statement of Dr. Doris Gordon, secretary of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society, published yesterday, in which the Government was criticised for the delay which had taken place over the matter, was referred to the Minister.

Mr. Young said that much misleading information was being disseminated in regard to the proposal to erect a new obstetric hospital at Dunedin. The position was that it was proposed to replace the two obstetrical ■ hospitals now functioning at Dunedin, and that concerned the Otago Hospital Board as much as the Government. It had been stated in some of the correspondence received by the Minister from women's organisations that the £32,000 raised by the Obstetrical Society was in the hands of the Government, but that was quite wrong. The funds collected by the society in its Dominionwide appeal were never handed to the Government but were paid over to the Otago University authorities, in addition to a Government subsidy of £.10,000, for the purpose of endowing a Chair of Obstetrics at the University.

It was true, the Minister continued, that the proposal to erect a new obstetric hospital was under consideration some years ago, but owing to the financial crisis tho proposal had to be dropped early in 1931. It was again actively revived in June last, and had since been the subject of negotiation between the Department and the Otago Hospital Board. The Department's last offer, involving a cash grant of approximately £17,250, in addition to a subsidy from the Unemployment Board of about £3000, was not accepted by the board, whose recently-submitted amended financial proposals were at present receiving consideration. ORGANISED PROTESTS. "It should be pointed out," said Mr. Young, "that those who are deliberately organising protests from various bodies throughout . the country are not helping one bit in reaching satisfactory finality. It is apparent that a good deal of misunderstanding exists on the part of women's organisations. - It must not be forgotten that the medical students, in doing their course of study in obstetrics, usually take only about eight of their twenty cases in the institution under the Otago Hospital Board in connection with the Medical School at Dunedin, whereas the other twelve are taken outside of the hospital in question—mainly in the other centres of tho Dominion, including even the Waikato Hospital Board's maternity hospital at Hamilton, from which districts there have been no complaints on the' part of the boards and their medical superintendents in meeting the convenience of the Medical School, and doing it without asking for elaborate new buildings, or other rewards."

The Minister pointed out that the offer of the Dunedin Savings Bank to make a contribution to the cost of the building had nothing to do with the Government. It had not been made to the Government, but to the Otago Hospital Board. He also pointed out that the present Government had made "no promise to build the hospital at a cost of £50,000. TWO ALTERNATIVES. The attitude of the Government was made plain by the Minister when replying to a deputation which waited on him in Dunediii towards the end of November last. "There arc two alternatives I can submit to the Hospital Board," said the Minister. "One is in regard to the utilisation of St. Helens Hospital. The Public 'Works Department, under the instructions of the Health Department, has gone carefully into the question of reconditioning St. Helens Hospital an,d providing aU that you will require. That can be done at an estimated cost of £8150, with accommodation for twenty-six patients, with an additional three verandah beds for emergencies, and" with, six students in residence. The hospital proper will bo all on one floor, and there will be provision in the grounds for a home to accommodate fourteen to sixteen nurses, as well as a separate building facing the street for an ante-natal clinic. As far as the reconditioning is concerned the Government's proposal is to expend that sum, make the hospital up to date, and hand it over without any liability whatever, the board to take it over as its maternity hospital. On the other hand, there is the proposal from the Hospital Board to erect a new building at an estimated cost of £23,370, which with ordinary expenses would be £25,13 D. Then there is the cost of the site, £2750, and the estimated cost of equipment, £2500, making the total £30,389, or, to put it in round figures, £30,000. It is proposed in that connection for tho Government to make a grant of £10,000, leaving the balance of £20,000 as an obligation on the Hospital Board. It was estimated that there would be voluntary contributions of at least' £1000, but assuming that there was nothing in the way of voluntary contributions the board would require to finance that £20,000, of which the Government would provide £10,000 by way of subsidy, thus the remaining £10,000 would require to be made up from the levies of the contributory local bodies. Tho position resolves itself into the fact that the board must accept one of these two proposals."