HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION

Evening Star, Issue 19001, 24 July 1925, Page 2

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION

ECHOES OF REGENT INQUIRY

further discussion at hospital board As a result of the finding of the Hospital Board in the recent Robertson case, certain matters were referred to a committee comprising the hom'd s Hospital Committee and representatives of the honorary medical staff. To, the monthly meeting of the hoard last night the Hospital Committee reported:— “The committee met on Thursday, the 10th hist., in conjunction with representatives of the honorary medical staff, to consider the matters referred to it by the hoard in regard to—1. Duties of the medical superintendent. 2. The duties and status of the assistant medical officer. 3. The question of revision of the standing orders of the resident staff, including all the special departments of the hospital. “ As a copy of the board’s resolutions has been forwarded to the honorary medical staff and a copy sent to the Director-General for his information, a report will not ho submitted until the next meeting of the board, to ho held on August 28, 1925.” The report was adopted. LETTER FROM LABOR COMMITTEE INDEPENDENT INQUIRY SUGGESTED, The Secretary read the following letter which had been forwarded by Mr R. G. M'Donnell, secretary of the Otago Labor Representation Committee; — “ I am directed by the Otago Labor Representation Committee to forward to vour board the following resolution, winch was carried at onr meeting on July 9: — That the Otago Labor Represents tion Committee considers that an independent public inquiry should ho made into the administration of the hospital, on the grounds— That the present resident medical staff is overworked and underpaid, and undue responsibilities arc placed upon them, dictated by the false economy pursued by iho_ board; also wo consider that there is an understuffing of the nursing department. That wo feel the atmosphere prevailing between the various bodies responsible for the administration of tlie hospital is not in the host interests of the community, and should be remedied as soon ns possible. That wo consider the system adopted in the out-patient department is defective in that many of ihe patients have to wait a considerable time before receiving treatment. The scope of the inquiry should he as wide as possible, and should include the whole question ot staffing and miniiaistratiou, and such committee of inquiry should include the representatives of all classes.” Mr Senrr moved that the Labor Representation Committee he invited to meet the Hospital Committee and discuss the. matter. Several Members: “No!” Mr Senrr: I think it would he of advantage. The Chairman said he failed to see where there wmtfd bo an advantage. Mr Morgan said bo disagreed entirely with Mr Scurr. Tho scope of the inquiry, the result of which would be made public, would meet the needs of the Labor Representation Council; Luther, tho speaker thought the board was quite capable of running the hospital without getting into consultation with any outside body at all. (“Hear, hear.”) If the board could not do it the members should resign and lot somebody else do it. In regard to the out-patients’ department, there had been a number of complaints, but be understood the patients were taken in turn. In regard to the nursing staff, tho Otago Labor Representation Council should be informed that tho board increased the staff not very long ago bv 25 per cent, on the recommendation ot the medical sunerinlendeut and the late matron. Tiio i nursing staff was adequate for the patients at the present time. Ho again wished to protest against any outside hotly being consulted.

Mrs Jackson: Tlio public is not satisfied at all abo.ut the inquiry. Mr Morgan pointed out that the result of the conference was not yet ready. Dr Newlands (referring to Mrs Jackson’s statement) said it was unfortunate that such remarks should made. It appeared to convoy the impression that the rest of the board did not possess her confidence. He thought that members of the hoard, who ought to he perfectly conversant with the inquiry now in progress, should avoid remarks that might have the appearance of disloyalty to members of the board. Mrs Jackson: I am not disloyal. Dr Newlands: 1 put it _ advisably: “have the appearance of disloyally.” Mrs Jackson said she did not vote at the inquiry. Dr Newlands: If you do not vote yon should not speak. Mrs Jackson: I say now the public is not satisfied.

Dr Newlands: Some of the public won’t be satisfied. We have to satisfy the reasonable public at the conclusion of the inquiry, which I say is a most searching investigation. The Chairman said he had the feeling that the Labor Council did not understand the position. The matter of a public inquiry into the administration of the hospital rested entirely with the department. • In regard to tli© statement of the letter that the staff of the hospital was overworked and underpaid, the speaker said that in Dunedin there was a nurse to 2,2 beds. In Wellington it wa.s 2.5, in Auckland it was 2.5, anjl in Christchurch it was 1.9. He did not think anything could be said in regard to the uncler-stafiiing or mider-payment of the nursing staff. He did not think the writers of the letter had any idea as to what work tha nurses did, nor did tliey have the remotest idea of what salaries were paid. It had often been stated in the hoard meetings, and had appeared in print from time to time, what the conditions wore ami what salaries were paid. As far as the medical staff was concerned, ho did not agree with the letter. The young men were in the .hospital practically for training. There was a special advantage gained by their being in a hospital. They wore practically in their apprenticeships. At a conference in Wellington it was decided that the junior men should receive £IOO in their first year together with their keep. He did not think they had very much to be dissatisfied with. So far as the allegation regarding the “ atmosphere ' was concerned, ho did not know exactly what was meant by that. As Regards the allegation about out-patients having to wait, that matter wa.s being gone into, and it was hoped that unnecessary delays would ha avoided ns far as possible. Considering, however, the number of out-patients which visited the hospital, it was quite I apparent that someone, must wait, it i was just a matter of taking them in the order in which they arrived. Then as regards the question affecting the administration of the board, that was a matter for the department to take up and consider Air Dove; if wo don’t do it property. The Chairman: That is right. Mr Dove said that something had j to be done with regard to the letter. The Labor Committee deserved a civil reply in the same direction in which they replied to the mayor in connection with the letter sent by him to the ( board. Evidently the Labor Commit- | tee was under a misapprehension, and

had not experience of hospital control. It was only going by what was said by the may in the street. They were asking what was impossible to grant. As they had told the mayor, they wore able to control their own affairs. If they could not do so, the Minister of Health had the powor to come down on them and toll them what they had to do. The matter was referred to the Hospital Committee, Mr Dove withdrawing a motion to the effect that a reply should bo sent stating that the board could direct its own affairs. The letter from Dr Falconer in which he protested against the finding of the board in so far as it referred to him, and which was published in the ‘ Star ’ a few weeks ago, was referred to the Hospital Committee for a report.