BEDS AT HOSPITAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 140, 13 May 1930, Page 4

BEDS AT HOSPITAL

FIGURES OF MINISTER. MR HORNBLOW’S STATEMENT. “When tho Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallwortlry, opened tho Wilson Memorial Block at the Palmerston North Hospital,” stated tho chairman of the board (Mr J. K. Hornblow) to tli© “Standard” to-day, “lie said that with the opening of tho new wards this would increase the total accommodation of the hospital from 247 to 293 beds, and that, including tho Otaki Hospital, there was .an aggregate or 305 beds for the district, or nearly 5.4 per 1000 of population, a proportion which was ahead of any other district. .. “As the figures quoted by the Minister aro not strictly correct, I have prepared a statement showing actually what accommodation our present buildings provide, giving the details for each ward. The mistake in the Minister’s figures arose owing to the fact that in the 247 beds first mentioned. ho has included those beds which havo been placed temporarily on tiro verandahs and in rows down the middle of each ward. This was dono to relievo tho ..congestion until the new block was available. Actually, though tho new block accommodates 46 patients, wo have to-day not to add anything like 46 additional beds. “Tho following aro tho details of our accommodation: —Ward Four 18, Wilsher Ward 4, Ward Two 6, Children’s Ward 18, Royal Alexandra Ward 16. Prince of Wales Ward 24, Princess Mary Ward 24, Wilson Memorial Block 46, Scarlet Fever Ward 25 (including verandah . positions), Diphtheria Ward 53, Sick Nurses. Quarters 4, Maternity Home 11, Otaki Hospital 12, total for district, 243. “It will be noticed that of this accommodation sixty beds are provided for infectious cases in the fever, hospital. This accommodation, is, of course, unused for a large portion cf tho year, but our experience has shown that when a disease such as scarlet fever or diphtheria is epidemic it is essential to nave this accommodation available. “Of course, we havo taken in and can take into our main building, with tho new wards, upwards of 200 patients, but this is only done by leaving patients overnight on ward verandahs, a practice which was never contemplated when the buildings were erected, and which is not a general hospital practice throughout New Zealand.