HOSPITAL CONTROL SYSTEM

Hawera Star, Volume L, 28 August 1930, Page 3

HOSPITAL CONTROL SYSTEM

REPLY TO DR. BEGG STATEMENTS ‘ ‘ ABSOLUTE RUBBISH” (Bv Tek-gnqtU—l’rcss Association.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 27. Dr. Campbell iB egg’s criticism of the Dominion hospital control system has 1 met with varied comment in Auckland. Air ■Wallace, chairman of the Hospital Board, said that Dr. Begg’s statements were absolute rubbish and that the proposals were the most undemocratic he had ever heard of. Dr. Alaguirc, hospital superintendent, after denying that the number of conditions complained of by Dr. 'Begg exist in the Auckland Hospital, said he was afraid) Dr. Begg was up against a stone wall when lie talked of taking the control of hospitals away from local bodies. Dr. Gunson, a member of the board, agreed that the average, stay of patients in hospital was for “too long, and also with Dr. .Begg V remarks' concerning infectious wards. 'With .the 'glaring defects in the system enough charges could be made without turning things upside down.

OPINIONS' IN DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN. Aug. 27. liefe it ino- to* Dr. Begg’s criticism of hospital control in the Dominion, Mr Knight, chairman of the Otago board, said he* agreed l that the hospital question should lie removed from the sphere of politics. Many instances ooulrl be cited where politics bad been introduce 1 with disadvantage to the system in the Dominion. Referring to Dr. Begg’s statement that the New Zealand control system had been universally abandoned elsewhere, Dir Knight doubted whether their actual system had 'been tried elsewhere. There was certainly no lack cf co-operation .between the staff arid the Otago Board, and its recent by-laws ha* da cfoee affinity to what. Dr. Begg seemed to he aiming at. In every case in the Dunedin Hospital the staff were consulted where eonipment* was purchased or an addition planned, aand eveirv endeavour was also made to classify cases, but to do this eomptetely would involve heavy capital expenditure. After traversing other points, MiKnight. said that the organisation of a medical hoard was in existence in the Dunedin Hospital.