OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 February 1925, Page 8

OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

APPROVED AS TRAINING SCHOOL.

At the last meeting o fthe Taranaki Hospital Board, in his monthly report. Dr Stuart Church, medical oflioer in charge of the Opunake. Cottage •Hospital, stated that Dr Paget had made an inspection of the hospital on behalf of the Health Department and had professed himself as satisfied with ihe work done. He also made a milliner of recommendations for improved facilities that were essential if the hospital was to be used as a training institution. His suggestions included i. glassing in of the three verandahs. which c-onld be used to increase j. accommodation of the hospital, ami also a number of additions to equipment. The l)i rector-General of Health (Dr Valintine) advised that he approved of tlie Opunake Cottage Hospital being placed on the list ot maternity training hospitals provided that the requirements set out in the report of Dr Paget were carried out. Only registered medical and surgical nurses could be trained at smaller training schools such as Opunake. The general manager (Mr E. Holden), in his report, expressed pleasure that the department had- favourably i ©ported upon the Opunake Cottage Hospital being put on the list of maternity training schools. Already one of the* hospital staff had expressed her desire to go there for training. He therefore suggested that the board immediately draft out a set of rules and regulations governing trainees so that no time should lie lost when the time came for applicants to take their course of instruction.

The secretary of the Cottage- Hospital Committee forwarded a list of outstanding fees which in the opinion of his committee were recoverable amfor which the committee desired the hoard’s sanction to take court proceed ings, A cheque for £ll, being a contribution made by the Opunake Girls’ Club to be expended on procuring and equipping babies’ cots and procuring two institution beds, was also forwarded by the secretary, who went on to date that the receipts of maintenance >es in connection with the hospital had ,-Jiown a great improvement of late, with the result that there was a small surplus in hand after paying the usual outgoings by that committee. The l.aame, £2o,’ was forwarded to the hoard. The committee was agreeable Ur having the cost, of a galvanised tank which had been erected charged 'p against tlie- voluntary subscription raised in October last for ground improvements. The committee- was entirely in accord with Dr Paget’s pioiosa's a'ud, if approved by the hoard, would make a. jtooa.l effclrt to raise contributions towards the cost en tailed.

The committee- was empowered to sue for outstanding fees and was also ciuhorised to have thp improvements mgppsted by Dr Paget carried out.— Taranaki Herald.