HOSPITAL COSTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 12, 14 July 1939, Page 5

HOSPITAL COSTS

RELIEF FOR LOCAL

BODIES?

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

The extent to which the Social Security payment to hospital boards of' 6s a day for each occupied bed would j relieve local bodies of their hospital contributions was discussed by the Makara County Council today, the question being raised by the chairman (Mr. E. Windley). The hospital estimates for the current year, he said, were on the council table, and though they had never been discussed by the council they were passed and had been provided for, so that discussion on them was useless. No provision had been made in those estimates for the benefits to be received from the Social Security Fund, though j on the basis of the number of occupied beds last year it haa been estimated, and in his opinion correctly, that the board would receive £50,000 from the Social Security Fund. When the Hospital Board framed its current estimates it was not in a position to allow for that money, because that part of the Social Security scheme was not in operation, but there might be some relief for contributing bodies in the years to come. It would be interesting to see what effect the Social Security payments would have on next year's estimates. Councillor R. W. Bothamley: The way we are going to be billed in the future is through capital expenditure. Councillor R. G. Mexted was of the opinion that the payment of 6s a patient a day to the Hospital Board would be more remunerative than the old scheme under which a large percentage of patients did not pay their bills. Councillor J. Purchase said that the Hospital Board, before framing its estimates, could have taken the trouble to anticipate the receipts from the Social Security Fund. Now it would receive contributions from the Government and from local bodies as well. "GET IT IN THE NECK." The chairman: We should get relief next year. Councillor Bothamley: I don't see how we possibly can, because next year we will be feeling the repercussions of these tremendous loans for building. The chairman: I'm referring to administrative, not capital, expenditure. Councillor Bothamley: We have to pay interest. We will get it in the neck, probably next year. INCREASE OF 37 PER CENT. The County Clerk (Mr. H. Pickford) said that the Hospital Board levy on 'the council this year was £3077, compared with £2238 last year, an increase iof 37.48 per cent. The rate struck to collect the levy last year was 30-64ths of Id in the pound and it seemed that ; this year's rate would have ■to be 141-64ths or 42-64ths of Id. Councillor Mexted: It will soon be Id and it will then be as much as our general rate.