HOSPITAL ADMINSTRATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 October 1924, Page 7

HOSPITAL ADMINSTRATION.

DEFECTS IN THE SYSTEM. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT NEW YORK, Oct. 20. At the Surgeons’ Congress, Sir Lindo Ferguson, of New Zealand, outlined the history of the Dunedin University Hospital, indicating its striking growth and efficiency, until to-day it has received the approval of the standardisation committee of the American College of Surgeons. He commented on the fact that the hospital staff, unlike those of the American university hospitals, is not appointed by the university, but by the* hospital trustees. ’ He stressed the desirableness of adopting the American practice. Dr. Elliott indicated the manner in which New Zealand hospitals receive Government support, and said the responsibility which hospital hoards have to ratepayers acts as a check on expenditure. The framework of the New' Zealand hospital system was too complicated for the needs of the country, and many hospital districts cannot justify their existence. Attempts at amalgamation had thus far failed because of local sentiment and political interference. The financing of hospitals by local rates with a Government subsidy is a good system in New Zealand, but much more should he done to encourage freewill offerings.