OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 December 1927, Page 4

OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

THE INSPECTOR’S REPORT. ADDITIONS APPROVED. At the ordinary meeting of the Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday the report on the Opunaae hospital by Dr. l'aget, inspector ox the department, was considered. The report stated that the work at the hospital had increased considerably; m 1925 -14. women were confineu, and in i9i(j there were 59 eomincments and 29 general cases. There was no hiirseiy, and there must be considerable difficulty in accommodating during the day-time the four or five babies that might he there at once. At night they could easily be placed in the sitting-room after the nurses had retired. There wa.s a decided lack of nursing accommodation, but it was not true that there was insufficient for one ( nurse. He believed the statement that, she had to sleep on the verandah in ah weathers was misleading, as the verandah was completely glazed in. Dr. Church’s complaint when the inspector visited the hospital on fceptember 9,192 G, was that the verandah hacl no means of ventilation. The board had been asked to remedy' this. The labour ward might he in a better situation, 'the complaint that the doors would, not permit the passage ox a bed, thereby throwing extra work on the staff, seemed unreasonable. The only time the beds should have to be wheeled from the wards was from the wards to the verandah. If the plan were correct the doors should be amply wide enough for the purpose. He would certainly recommend that Dr. Church’s advice to widen the doors should be accepted. The complaint that the plaster required attention was probably correct, as when he inspected 1 the hospital, one of the fireplaces was falling out and the plaster in other places was in bad order. The doors were very noisy, because they were illfitting, and he recommended tffat rubber stoppers should be fixed. He believed, however, that in spite of the fact that some of the complaints were trivial, the request for extra accommodation for the nurse was justified, and that the provision of a nursery would add greatly to the convenient working of the hospital. The cost of the proposed work was estimated at £350. This would provide a labour ward in a more favourab.e position. and which could be used for a single bed ward. This would relieve the sitting room and side verandah for use as a nursery, which would lie sufficiently close to the nurse at night. A convenient exit would also be given from the labour ward to the laundry. These alterations would provide for the needs for some years.

It was resolved to forward the report to the Opunake committee for consideration, in view of the modification of some of their suggestions. In reply to a question, the general manager said that certain 'alterations recommended by the board had been commenced, but tiiis applied only to absolutely necessary work. Other matters were all to be reported to , the board.