HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 220, 18 August 1931, Page 3

HOSPITAL ACCOUNTS

privileges of staff. DISCUSSED BY BOARD. The recommendation of the executive committee that accounts amounting to £2024 for hospital treatment of members of the staff be written off caused some comment at the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. Mr Mansford asked if it was customary to write off the accounts incurred by members of the clerical and office 6taff.

The chairman (Mr Hornblow) said he had been under the impression that the privilege of free treatment was only extended to members of the staff working among the patients. The managing-secretary (Mr Pliillipps) said that, with the exception of himselfj no members of the office staff had paid accounts. That had been tho case for eight years. Mr Smith: Is that irrespective of their ability to pay? The managing-secretary: Yes. Mr Smith: Then that is not right at all. /

Messrs Mansford and Ryder agreed that the principle was not by any means a right one. The managing-secretary reported that, since April, staff members in hospital receiving treatment had not been paid. The chairman said it had better be understood that free treatment in future would only be available to those staff members working directly among the patients. Mr Mansford said he had no objection to members of the staff receiving treatment at what might be termed “cost price,” but they should not be treated entirely free. The managing-secretary said some members of the staff would not have incurred the accounts at the Hospital if they had known they were going to be held liable as they would have gone to private hospitals for treatment. Mr Smith: Are some of them able to pay for private hospital treatment? The managing-secretary: Yes, some of them. It was decided that under the circumstances the accounts should be written off on this occasion, but that the position of the staff should be clearly defined for the future, allowing free treatment only to those working among the patients. Patients’ accounts amounting to £9946 2s 2d are to be considered later by the executive.