HOSPITAL COSTS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4813, 21 July 1939, Page 5

HOSPITAL COSTS

NO PROSPECT OF LOWER RATES. WAIPA COUNTY DISCUSSION. Hospital Board levies were under consideration at Monday's meeting of the Waipa County Council and members, while realising that ratepayers must pay a-heavier rate to meet the levy, were not hopeful of any reversion to the old rate in the next year or two.

To a question, the chairman said the Hospital Board would receive 6s per occupied bed under the Social Security scheme. This would represent a saving, but there was a catch in it, for that revenue would be "setoff against the Government's usual contribution of approximately £1 for £l. But it was regarded as very unlikely that there would be any saving for indications point to a great increase in the number of patients; every bed would be occupied, and this would greatly increase the cost. In any event, the hospital estimates for the current year had been adopted. If any saving was effected it would have a bearing on the estimates for next financial year. Personally he was not hopeful of any reduction.

Cr. D. B. Livingstone said his impression was that instead of a possible reduction, there would be an increase. Costs of hospital administration were steadily increasing, and he could see no possibility of? a reduction.' He added that Taupo now wanted a cottage hospital, and costs at Rotorua Hospital were also increasing materially. However, when the estimates came under review next year the Hospital Board would be in a better position to know what was required.