LUNCHEON CLUB

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 177, 30 June 1925, Page 6

LUNCHEON CLUB

“CIVIC SPIRIT IN HOSPITALS.”

ADDRESS BY MR R. KIT-LICK

“Civic Spirit in Hospitals’’ was the subject of an address delivered at the Luncheon t’lub this afternoon by Mr 10. Killiek, secretary of the Health Department, Wellington. Mr Salmon presided Mr Killiek stated that the hospital system in New Zealand was indeed a. unique one. 'Through the length and breadth of the Dominion hospitals were available for all who sought admission, and the necessary money for their upkeep was fully assured. These hospitals were owned by the people, administered by the people and. last, ‘out not least, paid for by the people. One of the main principles of the Dominions hospital system was that of local autonomy, the administration being indeed vested in the people themselves by means of boards elected by the people of the district in which the hospital was situated. There was indeed a. measure of supervision, rather than control, vested in the department, but the latter was not represented on the hospital boards and, as far as he was aware, did not desire to he represented. The suggestion that had been made that tho work of hospital boards should be divorced from charitable aid showed possibly a lack of full appreciation of this fact. / “The resolutions passed at hospital board conferences show that they are intimately cloncerned with matters affecting only the Health Department, but the Education, Pensions, Justice and Prison Departments, between whom there are many matters in common and much need for sympathetic working on similar lines towards a common goal,” continued the speaker. “The same desirability of dommou and concerted action which exists in regard to the central administration is necessary in regard to local administration. It is not divorce hut a strengthening of the ties that, bind every form of public assistance that is required. Hospital administrators may 'often desire to be freed from bumpering restrictions and from interference by persons not fully acquainted with their needs and problems, but \ am sure they do not wish their sphere of operation limited or their field of vision narrowed. “The sick, like the poor,” proceeded the speaker, “are always with us. and consequently we must expect always to have our hospitals, hut we ought to hope to see the proportion of our hospital patients t‘o the population decrease rather than increase. The advance in medical science had been such as to necessitate many special departments, equipment and staff, which were not dreamed of a few years ago. so that it was not easy to forecast a diminution in the country’s hospital expenditure. “As to the means of meeting such expenditure: The average amount received from voluntary contributions during the past three years only amounted to one-twenty-fifth of the expenditure, and therefore was negligible. The rates and the Consolidated Fund bore the balance of approximately three-quarters of the expenditure, which amounted roughly ro about £1,000,000 per annum. This was a big figure hut it represented a great work, some 60,000 people, or about 5 per cent, of the population availing themselves of our hospitals per annum, at an average not cost to the country of about £l6 or so for each person treated. 'The average cost of maintaining the hospitals in New Zealand was from 15s to £1 per occupied hod per diem, which included all overhead charges, depreciation, cost of administration and so forth, a fact that was often overlooked by hospital board administrators in talking about the cost of their hospitals. The fee charged was 9s a day which, it would be noted, by no means nearly approximated the cost of treatment. Of this fee, moreover, only roughly under 4s a day was collected. “There is something to be said for the present, method of meeting hospital cost, proceeded Mr Killiek. ‘‘The. tax is clearly keen and felt and being partly local thus provides a salutary check upon extravagance in hospital administration. It is felt, however, that something more is wanting and it is not only in New Zealand but all the world over that the problem of meeting the cost of hospital treatment, is receiving anxious consideration. At the recent hospitals conference a resolution by the delegates of tin* Otago Hospital Board was carried to the following effect : “ That a. national hospital day be recognised by the Hospital Boards’ Association.’ This is an excellent idea and the executive of the assocition will no doubt take tin* matter up and in connection with this launch an appeal on behalf of the hospitals.”

It was not only however, by giving a donation to the hospital that we could assist. It was by promoting an interest in tin* institution and a feeling that it was our own institution that we could assist it. When the national hospital day became an annual observance the speaker had no doubt but flint the efforts of the Palmerston North Civic League would be most laudable and inspiring. In reply to a question by Mr (Alien as to whether it would be desirable if the whole concern of caring for the sick was cast upon the Slate. Mr Killiek stated that there was a. good deal to be said for local administration, lie certainly did not favour Government administration. Mr J. 11. Dick, on behalf of the club, tendered the speaker a. hearty vote of thanks for his interesting address.