ENTRIES & EXITS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 281, 12 November 1929, Page 8

ENTRIES & EXITS

NAPIER HOSPITAL METHODS ATTEMPT TO REVISE BETTER SYSTEM. SUPERINTENDENT DISAPPROVES IDEA. The question of admissions and discharges at the Napier Hospital engaged the attention of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board at its October meeting in order to devise a system that would show by whose authority patients are discharged. The matter was referred to a committee consisting of Drs. H. M. Wilson, J. A. Berry and Mr E. T. Rees, managing secretary, who reported to yesterday’s meeting as follows; — Admissions. —In the case of persons admitted at night or during holidays it shall be the duty of the ward sister to ring up the telephone attendant and inform him of such admission immediately. The telephone attendant shall thereupon note the fact in his diary. Discharges.—The signature of the house surgeon must be on the history sheet of every patient discharged. It is recommended that a book be instituted in each ward showing the patients under the care of honorary staff who have been discharged, and this book is to be presented to the honorary medical officer concerned for ini- • Hing on his next visit. The committee added that it considered it was desirable that the medical superintendent be written to. asking him to impress upon the sisters in charge of wards the necessity for this book being signed, and that the chairman of the honorary staff be also written to. asking for the co-operation of all members of the honorary staff in carrying out this system. A further report however, was submitted by the medical superintendent, who voiced objections to the recommendations made by the committee. He urged the board, before making a decision, to submit the proposals to the honorary staff for their opinion. STRONG COMMENT. “The medical superintendent agreed with the proposal at the committer meeting, and now comes to the board meeting and disagrees. Thia is typical of what the honorary staff has had to put up with for the last seven years,” said Dr. H. M. Wilson. “After the meeting Dr. Berry agreed to give it a trial. Recently I saw the late superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Gilray. who told me that he personally saw every patient not discharged by the honorary staff. He had a regular time for doing so and maintained that it could still be done. That rule has been dropped and it is for the board to say whether it should be reinstated or not. Mr C. 0. Morse stated that for some time past the board had had bother concerning the discharge of patients. Many had been discharged of which there was no record. Personally, he would like the recommendation of the committee given a trial as something was really necessary.

Dr. Berry said that when the committee met he pointed out that difficulties would arise. It did not aftect him as it would be the honorary staff who tvould have to sign. He did not consider the scheme practicable and some of the members of the honorary staff to whom' ho had mentioned it agreed with him. Dr. Wilson: The carrying out of the scheme depends entirely on the sisters. If we had a room for the honorary staff it would lessen the difficulties.

Mr McKee said that something must be done. Last week a case was reported to him which showed that something was not right in connection with discharges. A girl about ten years of age had been discharged, one of the sisters telling her to go out She had no money and wandered about the 'bus stop for three hours. The lady in the shop there noticed her and, getting into conversation with her, found that her mother lived in Hastings. The child was quite ill and having no money the lady gave her some Putting her on the 'bus she asked the driver to put her on the ’bus for Hastings. That case alone showed the necessity for revising the system.

Mr C. Duff considered that although the proposed system might have its drawbacks it was worth a trial. He had no doubt that the medical superintendent in his loyalty to the board would endeavour to enforce observance by the sisters. It would be a pity if the scheme# was jeopardised by lukewarmness on the part of the superintendent. He urged that the scheme be given a trial and hoped that the honorary staff would help by co-operating. The board then adopted the report by the committee.