NURSES’ HOME

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 196, 20 July 1937, Page 11

NURSES’ HOME

PLANS FOR ADDITIONS. DISCUSSION BY BOARD. Proposals for additional accommodation at the nurses' home were given further consideration at the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday. Previously the architect (Mr V. It. J. Hean) had drawn up tentative plans for extending the present nurses’ homo on the side next Iluahine Street toward Featherston Street and erecting another wing parallel.to Featherston Street. In that scheme j»rovision was made for a courtyard. The additions were to bo of two storeys. At the June meeting it was decided to submit those plans to the Health Department, but on that being done they did not meet with favour, and at yesterday’s meeting there was submitted another tentative plan providing for an extension of the wing nearest Ruahine Street, additions to the home in the middle, and another I wing, connected by a passage but otherwise quite apart from, the main building, -on the Heretaunga Street side. In the second plan, instead of closing the gap between the wings, the addition made the whole lay-out of the borne more spread out still. PLANS EXPLAINED. Explaining the plans to the board yesterday alteration, Mr Hean said the courtyard scheme would have entailed shifting the fever hospital and the southern ward. That would have cost another £IOOO. The buildings requiring to he shitted were wooden, not permanent, ones. The department’s proposals were for the erection of another wing (nearer Heretaunga Street) for 46 bedrooms. Those could then be used for the accommodation of sisters and senior nurses. That would mean that there would be three new sections, one next Ruahine Street (to ho used for the accommodation of nurses), another in the middle of the present building and at the rear (for the domestic staff) and the third for the senior nursing staff (neaiest Heretaunga Sticet). The cost of the second scheme would he little more than that of tho first and would be about £52.000, unfui nislied. The managing-secretary (Mr A. J. Phillipps): The furnishings would cost about another £SOOO.

Admittedly, said the architect, the second scheme would provide greater difficulties in heating arrangements. In all, the buildings would provide 106 new bedrooms, sitting-rooms, a tutorial block, a maids’ dining-room and their sitting- room. The chairman: The position is that the department would not have our scheme at any price. The architect explained that one of tho principal reasons for the rejection of the scheme had been the necessity, under it, for shifting the wooden temporary building. FEVER HOSPITAL SITE. The managing-secretary pointed out that tile second scheme preserved a site for a fever hospital. He considered that was of great importance. Further, it was most desirable that staff nurses and sisters should be away from the junior nurses. Both seniors and juniors could “be themselves” more when they were apart. There were amenities provided in the courtyard scheme which were very desirable, such as interior balconies, The members of the board then inspected the site of the proposed additions and on their return it was proposed that the architect bring down tor the next meeting further details and estimates of the second scheme. “PLAIN AND SUBSTANTIAL.” Air J. Boyce, while not criticising the need for expenditure, made a plea for the building to be “plain and substantial, without frills.” there cculd have been a sum of £4OOO to £SOOO saved on the present administrative building if that course had been followed, he contended.

Mr Hean assured the chairman that there were a number of matters in which costs could be saved —the building would have a flat roof, for instance, so that additions could be made in the future —and fhe general design would conform with that of the present nurses’ home. Mr V. E. Smith said that ’••hen the mater of further building first hud been discussed the figure of £IOO,OOO had been mentioned. Now the board hid a proposal that would cost £60,riO before it was finished and in addition to that there was the new hospital block yet to come, and that was another £BO,OOO. Tho two added to £140,000, not £IOO.OOO. The managing-secretary said that there had l>een an increase of 20 per cent, in building costs sitico the original proposals had been brought forward.

Proceeding, Air Smith said the Palmerston "North Hospital Board district, had a population of 60,C00 persons, yet it was proposed to spend £2 10s for every man, woman and child in the district. There must be something radically wrong when that was taken into consideration. Considering the size of the district, it appeared that the board, was expecting the whole population to go into hospital. Mr T. Green asked for an apsuraiecthat a meeting of local nody representatives would be called to liavo the proposals explained to ti-m. To ratify such an expenditure was a yeiy large responsibility for the members of the board alone, as representatives of the contributing local billies. Two patients per nurse the allocation laid down by the Department of Health, said the chairman who gave the assurance sought. It. the Palmerston North Hospital the ratio was getting nearer three patients. Something would have to he J* 0 had had a look at some of the living quarters of the nurses. Tim*' were not fit for them, but they just had to carry on. When increased expenditure was spoken of, although they were making provision for urthcr accommodation for the present, ho was sure in his own mind that m a couple of years the board would “have to be at it a<zain.” The number of patients would increase when the national health scheme came into being. “WHEN WILL IT STOP?”

“What concerns me is when is this all going to stop,” remarked Mr F. J. Ryder. It was all right when the extra money could come out of the land, hut ho was afraid that the time had just about come when it could not come out of the land any more. All were concerned about that, said Mr A. E. Mansford, but the administrative heads of the hoard had said that such was the minimum requirement, and could any members of the board point to anything that was not necessary? Whether or not the scheme was too elaborate was another matter. The managing - secretary: ine Health Department sets the standAt the previous meeting, Mr Mansford continued, remarks _ had been made about the revaluation of J almerston North city and the effect on other local bodies’ contributions. in 1922-23 the contribution by the Horowhenua County Council had amounted to 19 per cent, of the levies, and the Palmerston North contribution had been 11 per cent. In the present year the Horowhenua County Council

contribution amounted to 17 per cent, and Palmerston North’s to 22 per cent.' On that score the other bodies could have no complaint.

Mr Moik remarked that that set of figures did not take into consideration tho matter of population. He did not intend to pursue that point, because it was tho use of tho Hospital that eojinted. They were all perturbed about the cost of buildings, but they had been sent to the board for a definite purpose. Ho thought the board had lagged behind in providing the necessary buildings, and it would continue to do so. The board had to at least provide the accommodation for those who were doing the work of the hospital. Ornamentation was not necessary, but necessities were required. The board had been assured by the architect' that the additions would he plain,, with only the necessary ornamentation. While the cost of building had gone up the cost of money had come down, and it behoved the board to see that the loans were extinguished in a reason-; able time. The burden of hospital rates was very heavy to-day, but he thought that the people were broadminded enough to look at it in the light that while the incidence of taxation remained as it was now they would just have to bear the burden. Money was now available at the lowest rate of interest in his memory, and if the sinking fund was large enough he would support the pr,>posals because he realised that, as a member of the board, they had to spend the money. COMPARISON WITH THE PAST. He felt that he was partly responsible for the present position, said Air J. Hodgens, M.P. When reference was made to building requirements he cast his mind back to the time when he had been first appointed a member of the board, with others, and the criticism voiced then might have stopped the board from embarking on a progressive building programme. A’et on the chairman’s remarks the ratio of patients to each nurse was rising to three —and the allocation was two. There was an increasing demand for hospital space and the board had to provide the bedroom space for those who provided the services. .. , ~ , The board thereupon decided that further plans and estimates would be placed" before the next meeting, giving further details. CHILDREN’S AVARD.

The board then proceeded to consider additions to the children’s ward. The chairman stated ' that £IB.OOO would be required for a. new ward, but with the expenditure of £2OOO additions would be provided which would carry the board over the next ten years. Invited to give his views on the matter, the medical superintendent (Mr J. H. North) said that the position had always been bad. as there was not sufficient accommodation and the facilities were not sufficient for isolation purposes. Mr Hean said the ward was only 2o feet wide, whereas a width of about 34 feet was necessary. The present width would not allow the provision of side rooms. The proposals were for the building of a sanitary annex and building temporary side rooms. The managing-secretary raid a new children’s hospital v.ias needed, but that could not be obtained until after the new ward block costing £BO,OOO had been built. Jt was decided that, the managingsecretary a.nd the medical superintendent, with the architect, bring the proposals before the Health Department.