HOSPITAL CONTROL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 12 April 1928, Page 5

HOSPITAL CONTROL

r > -* — THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM. MEDICAL MEN’S SUGGESTIONS. LET TFXEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 WELLINGTON, April 11. A number of the resolutions -passed at the recent conference of the College of Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand was 'presented to the Minister of Health to-day by a deputation representing the New Zealand delegates. The spokesman, Sir Louis Barnett, said surgeons after passing their examination should serve a lengthy period! of hospital 'apprenticeship under the supervision of the senior surgeon. The conference, felt that surgeons would prefer to maintain the honorary system of treatment for patients who could not afford to pay fees. It was desirable to have a system that. would give vounger surgeons of ability a chance, ho said. "* ' , ' " With reference to community: hospitals, the conference.favoured a system under which all classes would be received for treatment, replacing the present unsatisfactory, system of small private hospitals. They realised -that expense was the .stumbling block, .but were striving for the ideal of community treatment. In the -meantime it would be necessary to improve some private hospitals, he considered. Because public hospitals had large laundries and other special services which many private hospitals lacked, the former could provide wards and services at a cheaper rate. . in reply to questions from .the Minister, Sir Louis said it was impossible to get away from first and second-class accommodation in hospitals, any more than on .trains and steamers. The Minister said such a division might -bring about a radical change in. the attitude of the public towards the present system. There was nothing in the nature of pauperism in the present system, and the public feared anything of that sort. Sir Louis read a resolution advocating the centralisation of control of hospitals. The department appreciated the aims and objects in raising the standard of surgeons, replied Mr Young, and would help in providing facilities for young, promising surgeons. In regard to the present system of honorary services, he said, all classes were treated alike and •patients were not asked to pay if. they could not afford it. The centralisation of control was a political question on which his department took one view and Parliament another, said Mr Young. Parliament had established a system of separate hospital districts. Personally he thought there were more hospitals than desirable for the most efficient administration-of the medical services of .the country.- He did not hold out much hope for a central board as advocated by Sir Louis.