“BORDER-LINE” CASES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 20, 20 December 1932, Page 11

“BORDER-LINE” CASES

COST OF HOSPITAL TREATMENT. The cast of the treatment of what wore described as “border-line” cases produced a brief discussion at the meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, yesterday afternoon, when Mr A. E. Mansford asked if the present conditions wore having any influence on the number of cases which had to be treated at sanatoria, anil for the cost of which the board was responsible.

The medical superintendent (Dr F. Ward) stated that they had definitely resulted in an increase at Hanmer, but not at Otaki.

The chairman (Mr J. Iv. Homblow) said that such pationts might be sent to the Porirua Mental Hospital for treatment.

The medical superintendent said that no patient could he forced to go there. He could consent to voluntary treatment for one month. Objections were invariably raised to entering this institution, and patients had to bo sent to Hanmer.

“The time is coining when contributing authorities will have to take a stand and say these cases must go to a State-owned institution,” said the chairman, “instead of us having to pay full fees at Hanmer.”

Tho suggestion was advanced by Mr Mansford that the State should provide suitable institutions to receive patients such as those who were sent to Hanmer, and to give them treatment to their satisfaction.

“Wo have got to pull up somewhere,” commented the chairman, who said a proposal to establish suitable institutions near the four main centres had been taken up before, but dropped. It was decided that the matter should be referred to the Hospital Boards Association witli a recommendation for action.