The Hutt News SEPTEMBER 18, 1930. HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 17, 18 September 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News SEPTEMBER 18, 1930. HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Since the publication, on the 4th instant, of the article in these columns with the above heading, a large number of letters have been received, and personal interviews accorded, with reference, more particularly, to the: question of the payments demanded from patients. The unanimous feeling etidently is favourable to a thorough investigation of the matter with a view to ascertaining the remedy of a position under which those in need of medical or surgical attention not only pay by rates and taxation their share toward to cost of Upkeep of the hospital system but, in addition, are subjected to a- heavy-monetary penalty or fine for the unpreventable offence of—being sick or injpred. As has already- been shown all sections of "the community pay as much as they are asked, to pay in the form of direct or indirect taxation, and were they asked for more must perforce pay jfc. And it seems generally felt that the further exaction of large sums as maintenance fees to the hospital authorities is placing a heavy burden upon the shoulders least able to bear it. Andwe desire to point out that this additional burden falls, as' a general rule, upon the working classes. Jjn addition to the comprehensive scheme of public hospitals through out the Dominion, thel'e are also large numbers of excellently equipped and admirably■ ijjonducted private hospitals, which are undoubtedly a very great boon and convenience to such people as can afford to pay the charges therefor. In many, if not-most, of these-private institutions the comforts, conveniences and nursing' provided compare more than favourably with those at the disposal o€ the public hospital patient. And the charges made are in many cases but a very small amount greater than those exacted by the managers of the public hospitals, though of course it must be admitted that the fees of the medical or surgical specialists are not included in the amount charged per diem in the privately owned and conducted institutions. It is obvious that it is neither the wealthy nor the well to do classes who become inmates of the public hospitals, and consequently it is equally obvious that it is the poorer, and less able to pay, portion of the people who are called upon t» pay, or show cause why they do not .pay the large sum of twelve shillings daily for "maintenance.' To be quite fair it should be mentioned that we are authoritatively informed that the statistics show that the daily expenditure, per patient, is seventeen shillings. This may be the case, but we take it that this latter sum must include the cost of salaries to the professional staff, clerical and collectors' salaries, nursing staff wages, and the feeding and lodging of the enormous number of one thousand souls (including patients however) that are employed and under the care of the Hospital Board. How the figures which make up this enormous sum are arrived at is a matter for experts to say, but anyone will promptly say that it is not a fair proposition to ask the poor and afflicted to provide nearly threequarters of the entire cost of salaries, wages, board and lodging, and incidental expenses for an army of this size. Leaving outside the question of medical and surgical skilled attention, the value of which is incalculable, it ia contended that the sum asked for daily '*•'maintenance" is unreasonable, and out of all proportion to the amount and quality of food and attention given. And we reiterate that this charge is levied upon those who can least afford it, and who moreover have already paid in rates and indirect

taxation all they have been asked to pay towards the cost of such social service. .The figures produced to the Board of the cost of hospital administration and the re lief of the destitute in the Wellington district, are nothing less than staggering and while it is not suggested that such expenditure is not necessary and justified, it would appear that the Board has little or no control over this. When the Board's responsible superintending officers assert that such and such an expense must be incurred if'the status of the Wellington Hospital is to be sustained, how is a board composed of laymen to contra vert such a No humane or even sane man will cavil at the cost of the thoroughly efficient and satisfactory care of the sick and suffer ing, and, hard up as the people of the Dominion undoubtedly are at present, we are assured that if even more money is required for this purpose, the community at large would gladly see an increase in the sum. to be provided by the various local authorities sooner than see one ease needing, and not, receiving, that care which "their' needs require. This might involve, economy hi other directions, but the^aesthetic side could possibly wait till ' the sternly .prosaic: needs of the poor and .alflicted have received due: and enlcient attention. There are many points in connection with the hospital on which the public would welcome much more and detailed information, for example: how many patients were sued in the debtors' court, and how many judgment summons heard upon which the Magistrate made an order for payment or imprisonment in default ? This is essentially a matter in which the Board alone is responsible—not certainly the Medical Superintendent — and many people are anxiously awaiting some official and provable statement. The recent action of the Board in denying to families in a certain financial position the benefits, of the dental clinic appears to have met with no opposition save that of the member representing the Lower BEutt and Eastbourne, and we can certainly congratulate him thereon, despite the fact that he was, as it were, "the voice of one alone crying in the wilderness." So far we have only touched upon the fringes of the subject, and. there is so much to be said that we propose again to return to the^mat* ter.