MEAT FOR PATIENTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21899, 18 December 1945, Page 6

MEAT FOR PATIENTS

COMPLAINTS AT HOSPITAL

FIRST GRADE WANTED

BOARD’S LONG DISCUSSION

Three controversial matters arose from the report of the visiting committee submitted to the meeting of the Cook Hospital Board yesterday.

A recommendation was made in the report that the board revert to the cailing of tenders fo'r its meat supplies for the whole of the hospital institutions and that tenders be called and submitted to the January meeting of the board.

Following a lengthy discussion upon the suggested action, the board decided that its farm committee should inspect the meat supplies from time to time to ensure that the best obtainable was being delivered to the hospital. In explanation of the committee’s proposal, Mr. H. H. Barker stated that complaints had been voiced by patients at the hospital regarding the quality of the meat served. One inmate, who happened to be a butcher by calling, claimed that third-grade meat was always cooked for the inmates and third-grade mutton was invariably given to the patients.

The matter had been looked into and it had been found that the hospital butcher, dietition and matron agreed that the meat was not the best. Better quality, they thought, could be obtained. Board’s Attention Needed

Mr. Barker , added that this was a matter requiring the board’s attention and he thought that by adopting the committee's report and authorising the calling for tenders the matter would be best dealt with.

Support for this contention was forthcoming from Mr. J. H. Hall, who was of the opinion that the board should see if it could obtain a supply of first-grade meat for the hospital. That the board should call tenders for the supply of meat to tire hospital was not advisable, was the opinion of the chairman, Mr. M. T. Trafford. “I don’t think we should change now,” said Mr. Trafford. “We are getting good meat and I cannot see where the complaint comes in. I think we should get our meat from the same source and that a change is unnecessary.” Mr. E.‘ R. Black said that if tenders were called, it would be possible to set out definite specifications as to the type of meat for hospital patients’ consumption. He thought that the terms of the existing contract shouP" be placed before the board. Mr. H. J. F. Tombleson thought that the board was getting a lot from the supplying company. He suggested tint the farm committee should inspect the meat from time to time.

He moved that the clause referring to the calling for tenders for meat supplies be deleted from the report and that the farm committee be authorised to make occasional inspections of the meat supplies. Mr. Hall thought that this would not meet the position. Mr. Muirhead said that there were certainly complaints about the meat and he welcomed the suggestion that an inspection should be made. The managing-secretary, Mr. C. A Harries, reported that the ruling was that if any meat supplied to the hospital was found unsuitable it should be sent back immediately. Occasionally reject quarters or bruised sido:were included in the supplies and ’he outcher was immediately authorised to return the particular carcases. He considered the cooking process in bulk was probably one reason why the meat when served might give some patients the impression that it was of poor quality. The secretary also instanced the prices of carcases of various supplies, pointing out the very reasonable charges, perhaps the lowest able to be obtained. No Contract With Company

Referring to the fact that at certain times of the year frozen meat was all that was available, he said that ’his would be very difficult to obviate, but it might be possible to do so. As regards a contract between the supplier and the board, the inugingsecretary said that there was u< e- rtract, merely a mutual agreement. Both he and the chairman had met the manager of the supplying company regarding any possible improvements from time to time. He felt that the hospital was being well treated, but that an occasional inspection by the farm committee would be a good thing. Mr. Trafford agreed that previously the board had used the system of buying its own stock for killing. This had been found unsatisfactory and an agreement had been reached and had been operating, apparently satisfactorily. ever since. The motion that occasional inspections should be carried out oy the farm committee was approved.

Regular training in the use of artificial limbs for those inmates of the Memorial Home 1 requiring the use of thf.se aids was advocated in the visiting committee’s report. Training for Artificial Limbs

Mr. Barker explained that there were two inmates to whom this applied. They were unable to get exercise or practice in the use of the artificial logs as there were no atteadants at the home to undertake the work. The staff was short as it was and none of the fellow-inmates would assist the less fortunate of their number.

He considered that an attendant al the hospital might be able to go o-'er to the home periodically to g.ve the sufferers the necessary practice for them to become accustomed to the use of the limbs.

Mr. Hall pointed out that these two inmates were labouring under mental strain as the result of not being able to use their artificial legs. The chairman said if an attendant from the home was not available to assist these infirm patients and their fellow-inmates would not help them for a few minutes a day it did not say much for the spirit existing, among the patients. The third matter arising from the report was the suggestion that the board authorise some form of remuneration for four inmates of the Memorial Home who assisted in the work of the home and maintenance oi the gardens. It was decided that this wouid bv advisable.

The report of the visiting committee as amended was adopted oy the roard.