HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1936, Page 2

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS

THE MANGONUI BOARD

A meeting of the Mangonui Hospital Board was held! at Kaitaia on Thursday. Present: Messrs. T. S. Houston (chairman), W. J. Steed, J. W. Hoskin, D. Kitchen and J. T. Clark. Advice was received) from the Health Officer, Whangar.ei, that the District Nurse, Miss Smedley, had commenced her annual leave on the 11th inst.. and Miss Murdock was relieving her. Patients’ Fees. A letter was received from' tl?e Tauranga Hospital Board asking if under Section 92 of the Act the Mangonui Board would enter into a reciprocal agreement under which neither board would charge for patients treated from the other board’s district. The chairman: “There is likely to be further legislation on the matter, and we had better leave things as they stand in the meantime.” Authority to borrow by way of overdraft £ISOO for the first three months of the new- financial year was given. Hospital Register.

The secretary reported that the number of patients in the institution on January 31 was 23. During February, 45 were admitted, making the total number treated for the month 68. The discharges and deaths totalled' 39 and the number in hospital at the end! of February was 29. The average number of occupied beds per day was 24. It was stated by the secretary that one i of the hospital cows had been dried off, and had been sold. Mr Clark’s otter of the use of a cow, which came third in the Archibald Cup competition at the show, for the rest of the season, was accepted with thanks. Laundry and Heating.

The chairman ssijd the committee appointed to go into the estimates for the next five years, fbundi that better provision would have to be made for a laundry. It was very important at a hospital to have clothing dry and well-aired. A visit had been paid to the Hokianga Hospital at Hawene. Such a laundry as they had at Rawene would! cost about £IOOO, and while they did not want to go to that expense at Kaitaia, they should get rotary driers and washers. The cost would be in the vicinity of £4OO. A couple of heating stoves for drying after the clothes had left the rotary drier could be installed.

The secretary said that if a bailer for the laundry was put in, the steam could be used throughout the hospital for different purposes, including heating. He had no idea what the cost of reticulation would be. Mr Michie said there should) be no difficulty in getting a second-hand boiler, as a number of factories were replacing boilers for no other reason than that they were too small. There was a system by which the power could be taken out of steam which could then be passed on for heating. The chairman, referring again to the visit to Rawene, said the Hokianga Board had 1 a refrigerator which cost £IOO, and made it possible to keep all food fresh. 5 ' Mr Hoskin said .the visit to Rawene had brought home very forcibly that they were rather backward at Kaitaia, and that the nurses were not getting fair treatment. One of the first essentials at a hospital was facilities' for washing and drying. The chairman said the committee did not visit Whangarei, where it was gathered the laundry arrangements were not very satisfactory at present. Mr Michie, in moving a vote of thanks to the committee, said the report was very valuable, and there was no doubt that some improved l scheme would have to be adopted, before very long.' The motion' was seconded by Mr Clark and carried. The chairman said in a steam heating system for the whole institution, the installation of the pipes constituted the main cost. The steam cost little to produce once they had the system. The secretary said the best way would be to put an item' of about £2OO on the provisional estimates. The department then let them have a proper estimate of the cost. Mr Michie: “W# could buy a boiler for £4O or £3O, but the installation would cost just as much. The boiler and washing plant would cost £4OO or £500.”

The secretary: “We- were advised by the engineer at Rawene against a sec-ond-hand! boiler.”

Mr Michie: “All depends upon' its condition.”

The chairman moved that the board include £2OOO in the estimates for a new laundry and the reticulation of the building for heating purposes. Mr Hoskin said they should get Dr. Shaw up before completing plans. Mr Michie: “The matter is not one for laymen.” The secretary said the estimates of capital expenditure for 1937 were at present:—Overdraft £lOl, repayment of loan £598, women’s T.B. shelter £SOO, and motor car for district nurse at Houhora £250. It was decided to include £ 1000 of the £2OOO estimated as the cost of a new laundry, the remainder to go in next year’s estimates.

It was suggested that the present laundry be shifted and used as a T.B-. shelter.

Mr Michie thought the piping for heating would cost about £BOO. The medical superintendent doubted if the laundry could be safely shifted. He asked if the board had yet obtained a plan showing future extensions. The chairman: “Not yet.”

The superintendent said he would like to have the matron’s views before any change is made affecting domestic arrangements. He agreed with the idea of building a new laundry, but they wanted a plan of IHe layout of the hospital buildings as they should be with future extensions, and then all new work undertaken could be made to fit in with this plan. They were getting close to the limit with accommodation and within five years they would have to extend. He thought they could go on for another year or two with the present heating system. The main block would need a lot of reorganising once they started rebuilding. Ira a year or two the maternity block would have to be extended. Mr Hoskin; “The blunder was in bringing the old building over from Mangonui.” Dr. Rule said they wanted to avoid piecemeal or hotchpotch work. Capital Expenditure.

On the motion of the chairman, it was decided that the capital l expenditure for the coming year be £2450. Referring to the capital expenditure during the next two years the chairman said that the matron and superintendent were insistent in saying that special living accommodation should be provided for the night nurses, and £350 had been provided for that. A sum of £20,000 for extensions in permanent materials should be spent within the next ten years, and they should start very soon in carrying out the scheme. They had to provide in

the first instance for a five-year programme. Mr Hoskin: "The mistake made was in, not considering a permanent scheme before shifting the building. They should have gone for a new hospital, an estimate for which they had. A good deal of the money spent on the present hospital had been wasted. He believed the estimated cost of a new building was £SOOO odd. Mr Houston: “The estimate was £ 16,000."

, Mr Kitchen: “It was £40,000.” The secretary: “The cost' is usually £IOO3 per bed when building.” Dr. Rule suggested the board should take into consideration! the building of a residence for the medical superintendent. Less than half per cent, of the medical superintendents in New Zealand provided their own residences. He was prepared to sell his own resL dence to the board, and it had to be borne in mind that the superintendent’s job was becoming a full-time one. All he was asking at present was that the board should make some provision in its estimates for the next five years.

Mr Hoskin: “The time is coming when the doctor will have no time for general practice.” Dr. Rule said that his salary was £IOO below what was paid by any other northern board, and in other cases residences were provided. It was decided to make provision for a residence in the five-year plan, and to include £IOOO for 1938-39. For the rebuilding programme estimated to cost £20,000, it was. agreed to make provision for capital expenditure as follows: —1938-39, £1200; 1939-40, £1200; 1940-41, £I2OO. The secretary, replying to Dr. Hoskin, said he had no definite information yet as to the boundaries of_ the district worked from Kaeo by the district nurse in Whangaroa district. Visiting Days.

Dr. Rule’suggested am alteration in visiting . days. Tuesdays and Fridays were operation days, and in the interests of patients, and all concerned, visitors should be barred om these two days. He suggested the following hours for visitors: —Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. Husbands or near relatives would be permitted to visit patients in the maternity annexe outside the ordinary hours.

The hours proposed by the superin tendent were approved. Cattle Stop.

Dr. Rule also asked that a cattle stop be placed! at the main- gate. Cattle, he said, frequently passed) along the road, and it was a common thing for them to get into the grounds and do damage. It was decided to comply with the request.