COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

Evening Star, Issue 19839, 12 April 1928, Page 12

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

AND CENTRAL CONTROL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS’ VIEW EXPRESSED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 11. A number of resolutions of the recent conference of the College of Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand were 'presented to the Minister 'ot Health to-day by a deputation representing the New Zealand delegates. : The spokesman, Sir Louis Barnett, said that surgeons, after passing an examination, should serve a lengthy period of hospital apprenticeship under the supervision of a senior surgeon. Conference felt that surgeons would prefer to maintain the honorary system of treatment for patients who could not afford to pay fees. Ho said it was desirable to have a system that would give younger surgeons of ability a chance. With reference to community hospitals, conference favored a system under which all classes would lie received for treatment, replacing the present unsatisfactory system of small private hospitals! They realised that expense was tho stumbling block, but were striving for the ideal of community treatment. In tho meantime it would be necessary to improve some private hospitals. He considered that because - public hospitals had a large laundry and other special services which private hospitals lacked tho former could provide wards and services at a cheaper rate. In reply to a question from the Minister, Sir Louis Barnett said it was impossible to get away from first and second-class accommodation in hospitals any more than on trains and steamers. 'The Minister said such a division might bring about a radical change in attitude of the public towards the present system. There was nothing in the nature of pauperism in the present system, and the public feared anything of that sort. Sir Louis Barnett read another resolution advocating centralisation of the control of hospitals. The Minister, replying, said the department appreciated the aims and objects in raising the standard of surgeons, and would help in providing for young promising surgeons. In regard to the present system of honorary services, all classes were treated alike, and patients were not asked to pay if they could not afford it. With regard to centralisation of control, it was a political question on which his department took one view and Parliament another. Parliament had established a system of separate hospital districts. Personally, he thought there were more hospitals than was desirable for tho most efficient administration of the medical services of the country. He did not hold out much hope for a central board as advocated by Sir Louis.