HOSPITAL CONTROL

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1932, Page 5

HOSPITAL CONTROL

GROUPING SCHEME ADOPTED BY CONFERENCE. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, .June 10. The Hospital Boards’ Conference Committee appointed yesterday in connection with th e Wellington Boards proposals ill respect, to a> ..ration; in the existing hospital system brought forward to-uay, a report, ulGcli iv.o adopted in the following form:- —- That the hospital districts of New Zealand be re-grouped in such a way that every group contain wiiiuin its bounds, an adequate base hospital. for the purpose of the establishment of such base hospitals, it is considered c.-.seiilia! that there should be an adequate number of residential men in Liie centre of the population (selected, to provide the necessary * staff.

’LHat it is desirable that all hospitals be re-graded, according to the available facilities in each hospitai. The Conference to advis e tSie Health Department to endeavour to institute a system of grouping of Hospital Boards in order to achieve better coordination, The Conference adopted recommendations, arising from the round table conference of March, 1929, as follows: That all members of the community requiring treatment in hospital be eligible for admission to public hospitals. .' That patients in public hospitals, who need, because of the nature of their illness, ’ accommodation other than in larger wards, shall be provided for by an adequate number of one to four-bedded wards. The Conference adopted further recommendation:; as follows: That medical attendance on patients be in ti’ae hands of the visiting staff, with the assistance of the requisite number of resident medical officers. That each Hospital Board may determine the number of its visiting staff, but that it be recommended that in arriving at a decision, the Board shad, consistent with the convenience and .smooth running of the institution, appoint as many .of the medical practitioners residing in the district as possible. That in. making appointments to t.he visiting staff, and in determining the suitability or otherwise of practitioners for the privilege of attendance on patients, the Hospital Boards should be guided by the advice of a special consultative body, or in the case of the smaller hospital districts, by the advice of th e . Director-General ot Health. -

That a special consultative body comprise the consulting staff in all .y of the hospitals, or in other cases, should comprise the senior members of the medical profession o( the district, selected by the Hospital Board, with tlhe approval -of the DirectorGeneral of Health. All patients shall be attended by the visiting medical stall', in an honorary capacity.