VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 January 1928, Page 8

VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS

POWER OF WORKERS’ PENCE. Remarkable results have been achieved by the Hospital Saving Association, which was formed to organise a voluntary contribution scheme among London wage earners of all classes for the support of , the hospitals. The association (began its operations in 1923, after the Voluntary Hospitals Committee had put forward the view that a. voluntary contributory scheme might materially assist the financial problem of the hospitals, and the association’s scheme provided for wage-earners to contribute 3d weekly to the hospitals. Immediate success attended the scheme, and the total of 62,390 contributors in 1924 has now grown to over 370,000, divided among 4085 groups. In the year ended July 31 last £127,196 was paid to the hospitals for treatment given to 100,000 members of the association, the scheme providing that while the worker’s contribution of 3d a week helps the hospital funds, it also ensures for the subscriber treatment in time of need.

Presiding at the fifth annual meeting of the association, at which 2000 were present, Sir Alan Anderson said that three years ago the annual meeting was held in a private house, and the contributions amounted to £22,000. Now the contributory income considerably exceeded £200,000 a year. They were now firmly established in the work, their methods had been tested and approved by hospitals and work-people, and they would progress from strength Io strength. They had a sure foundation on which to build in tlie firm hold which the voluntary hospitals had established on the affections of the working population. They relied on the spirit of sturdy independence which characterised the British working man. Their income in the 12 months had been £lBO,OOO, against £128,000 in the previous year—equalling 14,500,000 ’■threepenny bits.” In the year, over 99,000 contributors and independents were treated at co-operating hospitals —16,000 in-patients and over 83,000 out-patients. Extra hospital benefits

amounted to £29,836, a little more than 16 per cent, of the contributory fund. The association’s record was one of sound administration and solid progress. A healthy sign was the increasing number of groups who had arranged with their employers to collect the contributions through the pay roll. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Cave, said that since 1921, when the report on the voluntary hospitals was presented to the Minister of Health, there had been a great improvement in the position. Whereas there was then a deficiency, there was now a surplus on the‘hospital budgets of £250,000, although the services by the hospitals had grown largely through the increased number of street accidents. The change was largely due to the adoption of contributory schemes.