Hospital Boards' Conference.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 4 August 1922, Page 3

Hospital Boards' Conference.

A meeting of delegates from the Vincent and Maniototo Hospital Boards was held in tbe County Chambers, Naseby, on Wednesday evening, the business being to discuss arrangements for settling a doctor at Lauder. Messrs C. Inder and Morgan represented Maniototo, and Messrs Smart and Ritchie were tbe Vincent representative.'. Dr M'Kibbin represented the Health Department.

On the motion of Messrs Morgan and Inder, Mr Smart was voted to the chair.

Mr Smart briifly explained the business before the meating—namely, the establishment of .a cottage hospital and resident doctor at Lauder. They received certain privileges from the Health Department in connection with the Bcheme, and it, was at the suggestion of the Department that this conference was held, so that the Boards could have something definite bafore them. The proposal of the Department was that thd residen's interested should pay into each Board the sum of £l5O, which with the Government subsidy of 24s in the £ should enable a substantial subsidy torbe paid to a doctor.

Dr M'Kibbin, at the request of the chairman, explained that the policy of the Department was to leave those interested to arrange a scheme. When the St. Bathans Committee failed to obtain a doctor they wrote to him, and he came to the opinion that the only chance of success was through extending the district. As to a cottage hospital, they only needed a bed for an occasional accident or acute illness so that the patient could be accommodated until s.nt on to one of the larger institutions. As for maternity beds Htatistics showed that for their population they would not require mora than one bed or two at tbe outside. But he would point out tbat with a hospital they would have to have a nurse at a salary of £250 perhaps, besides upkeep. Th6y might license the plaee as a private hospital and pay her a smaller salary, the Boards paying for indigent cases. But a hospital will be a terrific burden. If the residents of St. Bathans and Omakau districts provide £3OO a year, Bigning a guarantee for five years, and tbe Boards agreed on a sound scheme, they would have done their duty to the | district.

Mr Inder said his own Board had not arrived at any decision in the matter. If tbe people at each end of the district could meet each other, the Board was prepared to fall in, as tbey quite understood the position. He agreed with what had been said about the maternity ward and warned the people against the expense, particularly as there wire good maternity wards at ! each end of the district. In their own hospital the expectant mother could always come in a week or two before hand. He thought they would have to m«et tbe people with an estimate of the cost and a9k them if tbey are prepared to foot the bill. Mr Morgan said they bad loßt their own doctor because the residence was inadequate; it was not a question of salary. They then decided for a better centre and decided on Becks. A canvass i of the district met with a good respense i on this understanding, and they were promised £6OO in debentures forth* erection of a residence. On the proJ poaal tbat tha Qmakau district should

join in, Lauder was chosen for the 9ite. I They would be satisfied with a resident doctor, and did not want a hospital I wheretbey would have to keep a Duree. 1 There would be no trouble at bia end. By going from Becks to Lauder they had gone four or five miles down. If they went any further they would not benefit much by the scheme. At Lauder a suitable site of 5a had been offered at £l3 an acre. The trouble was to raise the money for the residence; it could be got for the salary. Mr Ritchie said that at present there was an arrangement for Dr Gladstone . to visit Omakau twice weekly but the people wanted a better service. He thought it was quite fair for the Boards to raise a loan to erect a residence, and to pay interest and sinking fund if the settlers provided a subsidy of £3OO a year towards the salary. On those conditions the scheme could be put through. It was quite right that both St Bathans and Omakau should giA'e way a little and meet half-way. If a residence cost £ISOO the expense would not be much between the two Boards probably not more than £7o per year, of which each Board would have to provide half. - During the course of further discussion Dr M'Kibbin said they might arrange with the doctor to provide an emergency bed in the house for urgent cases

The chairman said that his Board was prepared to help to pay for the building but not for the doctor. To Mr Jnder: The Boards should undertake the responsibility of the repayment of the loan.

Mr Inder said that when they had a cottage hospital at >St Bathans it was never occupied. He also pointed out that £ISOO at seven per cent would take about 20 years for repayment. If they had to pay £6O a year each for repayment it would mean that on eh Board would have to pay £I2OO. It might be better to make a straight grant.

Dr M Kibbin said no doubt they would get a good doctor if they could get a salary of about £IOOO or £llOO a year and a residence. Perhaps they might even arrange a little rent for the house. With the subsidy and other fees they should be able to guarantee that salary. Mr Ritchie said he would stick for a subsidy from the Boards. The back blocks paid their hospital rates and it was fair they should get a little back. Besides the Government paid a portion of the amount through the subsidy on the Board's levies.

Dr M' jKibbin undertook to provide an approximate estimate for a house pi seven or eight rooms. It was decided to call a meeting at Lauder and lay the project before them on the above lines.

The meeting terminated with a vote to the chair, proposed by Dr M'Kibbin and seconded it by Mr Inder.