A HEAVY BURDEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 May 1925, Page 4

A HEAVY BURDEN.

HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE

WIDER DISTRIBUTION WANTED

That the hospital 'districts in Taranaki are too small, with the result t-fiat the burden ox hospital expenditure is too heavy on the ratepayers, was the opinion expressed at Saturday’s meeting of tne Eltham County Council, wnen the chairman (Cr C. J. , Meicner) said tnat tne council’s contribution to the Hawera Hospital Board now amounted to a quarter of tne general rates. The discussion arose in connection with the reading of the circular letter from the Kiwitea County Council suggesting that certain matters should b© remedied and the administration of hospitals placed on a better footing. To that end the Kiwitea Council was of opinion that all hospital boards throughout the Dominion should adopt uniform by-laws and regulations to include, inter alia: (a) The right of all pei sons, irrespective of means, to be admitted as patients to public hospitals. (b) In the event of accommodation at public hospitals being at any time insufficient to meet the demands, for admission that the question of discrimination in so far as the same relates to financial ability should be under the control of a civil officer of the board, (c) That the medical cer- • tificate required on admission should deal, with only the question of fhe patient being a fit subject for hospital treatment, and in this connection medical practitioners should have no right to inquire as to the financial status of patients. To this end there should be a uniform certificate of ad-, mission approved by the Public Health Department, and a supply of certificates in the hands of all practitioners, (d) That the rights and powers of the honorary medical staff should be more strictly defined. The honorary medical staff have on no account to act contrary to the policy of the board, and in particular such staff to have no right to refuse to give the usual and proper treatment to a patient regularly admitted. The Kiwitea Council also recommended increased hospital charges in order that patients of sufficient financial ability should pay such fees as would enable the board to pay a reasonable fee to the members of. the honorary staff attending to a particular ease, in accordance with an agreed scale for services rendered, with provision for partial or complete remission of fees in cases where financial circumstances justify such remission. The increased income to boards under this head to be utilised: (1) In reducing levies to local bodies. (2) In providing additional accommodation, including private wards. (3) In providing a resident medical staff to undertake the duties at present undertaken by the honorary medical staff. The chairman said that 10 years ago the Eltham County’s contribution to the Hawera Hospital Board was £502 per annum; now it was £32oo—a quarter of the general rates. That was getting on for a 400 per cent increase in 10 years. Ratepayers wondered where the rates were going, but when they took the hospital levy and administration charges into account there was not so much money left for making roads.

Cr McWilliam said that the trouble was that the hospital districts on which rates were levied were too small for the amount of the expenditure. As far as hospital work was concerned the very best should he given, hut ,he had always contended that there should only be two hospitals in Taranaki—New Plymouth and Hawera. The cost could then be spread over a greater area, and special hospital staffs appointed to each institution. /•’ Cr Campbell said that as far as the admission of patients to the Hawera Hospital was concerned, the board had discussed the matter, and had agreed that no one requiring treatment should be refused admission. - i. ; On . the motion of Cr.s Messana and McWilliam it was decided to i support the Kiwitea, Council’s letter.