GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

Grey River Argus, 15 December 1943, Page 3

GREY HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Grey Hospital Board was held last evening. Mr. J. B. Kent presided and also present were Messrs J. Smeaton, J. E. Stokes, W. Fisher, F. J. Oakley, A. Mosley, T. P. Ryan, J. F. Laing, J. Mulcare, H. G. Carter and the Secretary (Mr. J. E. A. McKeefry); also the Medical Superintendent (Dr. D. M. Logan) and the Matron (Miss IN. Moffatt). ... The Director-General of Health wrote regarding a scheme for the training of masseurs as a rehabilitation measure, asking for details of the number of masseurs employed by the Board and the number likely to be required, also for similar details regarding radiographers. A school for the training of radiographers was contemplated but could not be opened for about two years, and ..in the meantime students could be sent to Melbourne. It was also- asked whether the Board would be willing to take a returned man into the X-ray department to determine his suitability for training.—The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman, the Secretary and the Medical Superintendent with power to act.

A circular letter regarding the socialisation of medicine was received from Dr. H. P. Pickerill of Wellington.

..The. Secretary of the Post-Graduate Training Committee wrote advising that a vacancy had been reserved for' a student from the Grey Hospital,— It was. decided to send a candidate who had been selected. The Minister of Civil Defence wrote expressing appreciation of the services given bv leaders and personnel of civil defence units. .__ The Secretary, Hospital Boards’ Association, wrote forwarding a list of remits to be discussed at the annual conference to be held in Dunedin in February. On the motion of Mr. Smeaton it was decided to forward a remit that the election of chairman should take place, annually instead of bi-ennially. Mr. Smeaton said that a similar remit had been sent six years ago. It was also decided to forward a remit that Section 92 of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, under which Boards charged fees for patients from other hospital districts, be abolished. It was decided that copies of remits for the conference Should be circulated to members. T , x , The. Secretary, Public Hospitals Engineers’ Association, wrote _ suggesting that the .Hospital Engineer should be allowed to attend the conference being held at the same time a« that of the Hospital Boards’ Association.—lt was agreed tlpat the Engineer be authorised to represent the Board at the conference. EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION. The Secretary, Hosiptal Boards’ Association, wrote stating that the Grey Hospital Board was now the only non-member of the Hospital Boards’ Union of Employers and asking why the Board objected to membership. The Chairman, remarking that he was pleased that they had the opportunity to say why they objected to membership, said that the Board had been elected by the community to voluntarily administer a social service, not a business, and he did not think its affiliation wit'n one section of the community, especially with the smaller section rather than the larger one, would be quite fair. He knew that the business of the Em? plovers’ Association was to'Keep the conditions of employees down .not to keep them up. ' Mr. Ryan: Bunkum I Every other Board in New Zealand is in it. The Chairman said that there wos something wrong with the Hospital Boards’ Association if it could not do the job. Mr. Mosley said he thought that both the Employees’ and. the Employers’ Assooiatione were necessary for striking a happy medium between the. parties concerned. He did not agree that the Employers’ Association was for squeezing the employees down. The Chairman said that to take sides between those whom the Board represented as a whole would not be right or moral, or just.

Mr. Smeaton said that not one member of the Board would want to withdraw from the Hospital Boards’ Association, but he would object very strongly to the Board joining the Emplovers’ Association. The Secretary said that in reply to the previous invitation to join the, Employers’ Association he had said that the opinion of the Board was that the Hospital Boards’ Association could do the work just as well as the Employers’ Association. It was decided to reaffirm the previous decision not to join the Association, Messrs Ryan and Mosley voting against the motion The Secretary, Local Government Loans Board, wrote giving consent 10 the divertion of loan monies on hand for the purpose of meeting parLpf the cost of erecting a kitchen atrthe Nurses’ Home. Sanction was also given to the raising of £3.200 for the same purpose. The Director-General wrote enclosing a copv of an onlnion of tlie Public Works Department advising against the erection of a second storey floor above the new Nurses’ Home kitchen, in view of the strengthening that would be required. Commenting on this, the Board’s Architect (Mr. J. G. Collins), wrote stating that he did not agree that the walls or roof would not take the extra strain. Confidence in the Board’s architect was expressed. The Chairman said that with, several members of the Board and. the Secretary he had met Dr. L. C. McNickle, Director of the Division of Hospitals, Health Department, the Health Department Architect and Engineer, and Mr. Collins, when a number of matters were ffiscussed. The ground at present available was not sufficient for the requirements of the Department, but .he thought there would be no great difficulty in getting the land suggested, and then alterations to the hospital could be proceeded with It was decided to defer consideration of the matter till a full report was available. The Director-General wrote advising that where a member of the Nursing Reserve is employed bv a Hospital Board salary paid bv the Department during a period.of incapacity would be recovered from the Bpard concerned. It was decided to ask for the extension of authority to employ two men under Scheme 13.

The Secretary. Waipawa Hospital Board, wrote adv'sing that the daily rate for patients from other hosnital districts had been increased to 18s.

The pavment of accounts amounting to £7,568 13s 4d was ratified. Seasonal greetings to members of the .Board, . executive officers, the staff, nurses, and all connected with the Hospital and to the Press, were extended by the Chairman, Mr. Carter reciprocating on behalf of the Board members.