3 More Specialists For North Hospital Boards

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1947, Page 4

3 More Specialists For North Hospital Boards

(Special) KAIKOHE, This Day. MEETING at Kaikohe yesterday, as the Northland Hospital Boards’ Specialist Committee, the chairmen of five of the six boards decided to reaffirm the appointment of a tuberculosis specialist and to advertise forthwith for three more specialists. The three new specialists to be called for will be in orthopaedic surgery, ear. nose and throat diseases, and radiology.

The meeting, held under the chairmanship of Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay (WhaI ngarei), met to discuss the attitude j held towards it by the Health Deparl- ] ment, as stated in letters from the Director-General of Health. J This attitude was that the North I Specialist Committee was not a body I compelent under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act lo employ specialists and administer specialist services, whether or not its constituent boards were unanimous on (he ovestion. LEGAL OPINION READ This objection was raised because the committee did not control an institution. A hospital ir. itself could do the job, but the committee could not be recognised and its appointments would not be valid. Mi' Mac Kay produced a legal opinion on the wording of the act secured from an Auckland firm of solicitors by the Whangarei board. This was to the effect that the word institution had been wrongly interpreted by the department, and did not necessarily refer to buildings and equipment, as contended by the Direc-tor-General. Other points were ‘raised by the legal firm, including one which it was believed the department had overlooked in coming to its conclusion. It appeared that, should the control of specialist services be in the hands of any one board, as the department had suggested, no other board would have any say whatever and the remaining live would have to take the specialist on the controlling board's terms. TUBERCULOSIS SPECIALIST Mr Mac Kay maintained that the departmental reading was not correct. Ho read the dictionary definition of the word “institution.” He said he was convinced that control by a central specialist committee of the six boards was the best method, but said that il no other way was open the Whangarei board would be happy to undertake responsibility. Mr G. H. McKenzie (Bay of Islands) moved that the appointment of Dr A. H. Webb, late of the Cashmere Sanatorium, as tuberculosis specialist for the North, who was selected by the committee last year, be reaffirmed and that the Minister of Health be asked again for his approval. Mr McKenzie was prepared lo see control in the hands of Whangarei il the central committee were not allowed to go ahead. Mr G. Stallworthy (Knipara) seconded this motion. Other delegates believed the Minister ought to clarify the position The secretary to the Whangaroa board (Mr O. G. Machattie) mentioned

that he understood Mr Nordmeyer might shortly be coming North again. He was in Auckland now, but would definitely not be available this weekend. Possibly he could be invited to discuss the subject with the boards’ representatives. Mr Mac Kay: We have been waiting three or four years for Mr Nordmeyer as it is, and I think wc should shortcut the matter by asking for his approval of our appointment once more. Mr Mac Kay added that he was pleased with the unanimity of the boards. He regretted the non-attend-ance of Hokianga delegates. BAY COULD DO IT Whangarei was possibly the least interested of all boards in the tuberculosis problem, he said. "Cur hospital shelters arc empty now—we have not one case in them." Mr Machattie: It is not essential, Mr Mac Kay, that Whangarei should be the controlling board. Bay of Islands could do the job by establishing specialists at Kaikohe. "I do not mean that Whangarei is not interested in Northland specialist services,'’ said Mr Mac Kay. “Perhaps we are not so much interested in tuberculosis, but we certainly are in other services.” The department would insist that specialists lived in the centre of population, he said. In any event, the Whangarei board would pull its full weight, financially and otherwise, in the matter. Mr McKenzie’s motion was then passed unanimously. OTHER SERVICES A discussion followed on the need for other specialists, and decisions were made by resolution to advertise for an orthopaedic surgeon, an ear, nose and throat specialist, and a radiologist. The first two would be part-time, the remainder of their time being available for private practice, while the radiologist would be full-time. Speaking in an advisory capacity, the Whangaroa medical superintendent. Mr C. S. Williams, FRCS (Edin.), said he believed the greatest need, after a tuberculosis specialist, was for ear, eye, nose and throat, orthopaedic and geneto-urinary specialists.