THE NELSON HOSPITAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 17, Issue XLIII, 17 December 1909, Page 2

THE NELSON HOSPITAL.

DR VALINTINE'S SPEOIA.J REPORT. ■ _ - A ■ M the special meeting of th<, Nelson HolpitoUn'd GharitableVa Board yesterday. Dr Valintine's special report on t£&kon Hospital- (received I two i.,r thre c months ago , jvas discussel lie A report dealt with. the wndttioj and ge- j neral management of the Hospital. St St saidjthit the report, «nMo tfießoarll ftas not thb same repo? tbat Vr Valintine gave the Board . when he was in NelsOri. Several things in the report that had ( been challenged were not now in the.rejjort: v. *;,•;__.. The ehaifnkri thbught Dr ValmUne . wis within his rights. ;.. . Mr >Joult said he had no ruie t*>r .W-e * present report. . .; ,.''■■. ■-. Mr Everett agreed that it was not the original report that was before tbeu., , but ha saw nothing to object to in. Dr Valintine cutting down his report. Dr Valintine had simply removed tbe ptr-. sonal element from his report. Dr Valintine had now played the part of a wise man; formerly he* had been highly, .in-. ... discreet. However, the indiscreet portion bf the report had Mr Everett's eym-, Pa Mr' Field said that the first Teport was only a rough report. ' . .-_ ' Mr Tnorpe agreed with Mr Field. Mr Hoult said that Dr Valintine tools " it upon himself to criticise the Board, « but the doctor was not the "bit of stuff ) to allow the report to again come before t Mr Turner said that as far he was con- i cerned he must have the original report. j Mr Hoult said that Dr Vahntine came - t to"Nelsbri, at the request of the Hospital staff, to report on the management of the institution. Dr Valintine was- not askwi to report on th c condition of the building He demanded that the resolution inviting Dr Valintine to Nelson, be Tead. , Messrs Thorpe and Everett oppoAed. the resolution being read, as it^ad been decided at the last meeting that the "report" should be considered at the special meeting. The, Chairman ruled that the whole report should be considered. The first, portion of the report dealing -J with thebuilding was then read. 1 Mr Hoult moved that there be np con- ] sideration of this portion of the report.. Dr Valintine was not asked to report on the building. . - . The Chairman declined to accept the ; motion. ' . . „ __. A more or less acrimonious discussion ensued, Messrs Hoult, Bisley , and Tur- i ncr questioning that Dr Valintine was an expert in regard to buildings, and the. . Chairman and Messrs Everett and Thorpe holding that he was an expert, i * . Mr Hoult again wanted the resolution Mr Everett requested Mr Hoult to hold his tongue. „ „_. . . , ■ , Mr Everett moved that Dr Vahntine b recommendation to widen the. veranda at least two feet be given effect to. The motion was carried by oto o, Messrs Bisle*jr, Turner, and Hoult oppos-. me on a division. ... _» „ Mr Bisley was strongly in favour of a. dining and a smoking room. He did not care what Dr Valintine or anyone else said to the contrary, there should be dining and coking rooms. He moved that dining rooms be prodded lor the males and females. ... Mr Everett said that he would not support a dining room in face of any doctor's report. „, __ The motion, seconded by Mr Turner, waa carried. _ . . Mr Field moved that the lavatories be removed, as recommended by Dr Va*lintine, the future location to be decided 0n The 6 Chairman said that Dr Valintine's recomamndation to renovate the wards and* Une them with Winderiich jaetel, while a desirable work, could not, in. the present state of the finances, be given effect to, and it was agreed that this work be held over for the present. The recommendation- thai side. wards bo provided for post operation cases Was endorsed, on Mr Everett's motion. .. It was resolved, on Mr Thorpes motion, that the nurse's quarters be im- : P1 Mr Bisley said that the nurses at the Hospital were underpaid. He also ■ thought that probationers should be provided with a uniform and paid for the period during which* they were proba .: tioners. . . „ It was Tesolved that the probationers be provided with uniforms. Mr Bisley moved that probationers he paid at the rato of £15 a yea* Mr Thorpe said that probationers were useless for the first three months. . Mr Bisley combattod this view, and said the probationers were hard-worked, and had to put in their eight hours lhe probationers were often given a lot ot hard work to do. , „,»._ _i."*' : " Mr Field supported and said that those who said that the probationers were useless, were under a misapprehension. Mr Thorpe repeated that the proba--tioners were a drag on the nurses for at ; least three months. ' „.'.. _„ Mr Everett could not believe that the probationers, were valueless. He had great pleasure in supporting. tie proposal.. Mr Hoult, after hearing what other members had said, would suport the proposal. . ■ . The Chairman ruled that notice of motion' must, be given, as it entailed an air toration of the By-laws. .-* A . -XMr Bisley gave notice to. move in the direction stated. . '". ... v_ Mr Field gave notice to move that Bylay 125 be amended (in accordance with Dr Valintine's'recomendation)to provide that complaints of patients must be made within a month instead of within a week. Mr Thorpe gave notice to move regarding the rate of hospital fees. • Mr Hoult gave notice to move that by-law 107, which gave th a Resident Surgeon power to order a patient to work be rescinded. Ha did not see why, if he paid for his maintenance, he should also be compelled to work. _ Mr Bisley considered that there should be a junior doctor at the Hospital. They were paying £100 a year, for outside doctors, and £100 a year for a dispenser. Th c junior doctor could do this work and also act as Secretary. The suggestion was not favourably en?tetained by Messrs Thorpe and. Everett. Mr Bisley then said that it would be economical to have a secretary of their own, who would also be the Board's Relieving Oflicer. He undertoo kto bring forwar ddetails at the next meeting.