HAWERA HOSPITAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 March 1929, Page 9

HAWERA HOSPITAL

ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS. BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING. ! The monthly meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board was held to-dav There were present: Messrs. J. S. McKay (chairman), E. J. Gifford, W. G. Simpson, J. J. Meldon, E. A. Washer, A. L. Campbell, A. G. Larcom, G. W. Tayler and F. Gillanders. An apology lor absence was received from Mr. T. A. Winks, The medical superintendent (Dr. J. Cairney) reported that 51 patients remained in hospital on January 31. Admissions totalled 76 during February and discharges 71, leaving 56 in hospital at the end of February. The daily average or occupied beds for February was 54.7, compared with. 66 for the eleven preceding months and 61.6 for February of 1928. The daily average to each of the nursing staft was 1.8. X-ray cases dealt with totalled eight, hospital and 15 private cases. Pliysiotberapetutic treatments during the 'month numbered 244 —an average of 11.8 daily. The number of out-patients attended during the month was 14, to whom 6 treatments had been given. Eleven jiatients liad been in liospital eight weeks or more.

The matron (Miss A. M. Glynes) reported that nurses Thomson and E. Lash were at present on tlieir annual leave. Miss Ivy Banks, maid, has resumed duty. Misses M. Laurent and K. Hergenhan were also on leave. Applications had been received from Miss Mary Wilson and Miss Mavis Hillborne for training on nursing staff. The matron of the Old Peoples’ Home (Mrs. M. Laing) reported that the number of inmates was 20. Two who had been admitted to hospital during the month had returned to the home. Another.had been sent to hospital on February 23. One had met death by drowning on February 25. Donations had been received from the following, Mr. Sturrook (fruit), and Mrs. Haigh (papers). An entertainment had been given by the Methodist Christian Endeavour and a service by the Salvation Army.

The farm manager (Mr. H. J. Webber) reported, inter alia, that 483 gallons of milk, valued at £3O 3s 9d had been supplied to the hospital during the month and 70 gallons, valued at £4 7s 6d, to the Old Peoples’ Home. The various reports were adopted. In accordance with a recommendation of the visiting committee (Messrs McKay, Washer and Simpson 1 ) it was decide dto appoint a select committee to go into the matter of disposing of the material at the Old Peoples’ Home, and also to go into details with regard to deciding upon the ultimate fate of the disused portion of the old hospital. The chairman and Messrs Gillanders and Washer were appointed to the committee and requested to confer with the architects and report to the next meeting.

That the ground at the rear of the nurses’ home be put down in lawn, together with a strip half a chain wide from the north side of the hospital and the portion of ground from the hospital gates to the ambulance shed be dealt with were further recommendations of the'visiting committee, which were endorsed by the meeting. It was also decided that the isolation block be fenced off, and .that a quotation be

obtained for dressing the tennis court with tar and sand. Recommendations made, inter alia, in the report of the finance committee (Messrs McKay, Campbell and Winks) were adopted as follow: That the action of the medical superintendent in securing the services of Dr. Sinclair to administer anaestheics during the period the board was without a resident medical officer be confirmed; that the secretary’s action in transfering £IOOO to the building account be confirmed ; that application be made to the Director-General of Health for authority to arrange a bank overdraft of £1000; that two electric motors purchased with the whirlpool baths and a motor at the Old Peoples’ Home be sold; that a whistle for calling the ambulance driver be erected at the laundry. “Is it a fair thing to put an undischarged hospital patient on a service bus running between Hawera. and New Plymouth,’ 5 asked a letter received from Mr. Geo. Tynan, of Te Kiri, with reference to the transfer of his wife from the Hawera to the New Plymouth hospital.—The medical superintendent explained that as the patient was now resident in the New Plymouth Board’s district the transfer there became necessary when the patient was lit to travel, and that when she was convalescent it was at her own request that she was sent direct to New Plymouth instead of returning to her home. —Approval was given by the board to a reply forwarded to that effect, and the letter was “received.”