PUBLIC HOSPITALS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 12 July 1921, Page 4

PUB LIC HOSPITALS

COMMISSION’S REPORT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATiONS Included in the recommendations of the Hospital Commission ’ are the foL lowing:— . 1. (a) The Government should contribute one-half of the capital requirements of the hospital boards. The basis of such contributions should be a flat rate subsidy of £ for £ on capir tal expenditure,, and on interest on Joans current in respect of capital expenditure. (b) The cost of minor capital works''-and all plant\ and bquip*-' raent should be provided for otherwise than by loan. The cost of erecting buildings, or of making additions or alterations to buildings, or of purchasing land, may be raised by Joan* Loans should be repayable' by sinking fund within a period not exceeding 20 years for permanent buildings pnd land, and 10 years for wooden and other non-permanent buildings. Tnb Government should ; provide faculties for hospital boards to ■ obtain -loans on the most advantageous terms. ,■ 2. (a) The Government should contribute one-half of the, net maintenance requirements of hospital boards..(b) The basis of .allocation ,of 19-2Qthe of such contribution among f " thb ■ in l 1 dividual boards should be oh the >■ principle that the heavier ■ the burden of a board’s requirements on the rateable capital value of its district the higher the subsidy, hut that the rate ■of subsidy,, per £ levy should not bx t ceed 26s nor be less than T4s in the case of any individual board. 1 The remaining l-20th of such ’ contribution should be specially allocated in equal proportion, to the hospitals atS land, Wellington, ’.Christchurch and Dunedin for the purpose of developing' and .extending 1 the : work of special de- : ■ partiuents V essential to hospitals,. but be not used in any case for ordinary maintenance purposes. ,In view of the special subsidy lebiitributionj the* other lioSpital boards should have the , right to send patients for admission • to tli'eso hospitals for special treat- ■ ment, oii payment of the maintenance fee. In arriving at the burden of a board’s requirements on the rateable capital value of its district, & tiou l>o made from such rateable capital value of all non-rate producing native • lands. ,

£ FOR £ SUBSIDY FOR VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS. , .

3. The Government should subsidise voluntary contributions /to 'hospital boards for r general maintenance ' .ppi’f poses or for specific maintenance purposes approved by tho Minister at tho rate of JB for £. The Government should, on the recommendation of ; the Minister, subsidise voluntary' contributions, bequests and devistis for capital purposes, or endowments, at , the rat© of £ for £>. ' 5. The Tlunket Society and : Salvation Army should-.. continue to receive financial from the , Govern- ; merit through the headquarters of each organisation. The Government shomd make ah annual grant dtiler charitable societies and institutions^' and allot same on the recomihehdations of hospital boards, having regard to ‘the amount of volimtery contributions, ana tho number of inmates. ' 6. (a) A uniform fee of £3/3/- per week for adults and £l/11/6 for children under fourteen years of age Should be charged for maintenance and treatment in public hospitals!' . Boards _ to liave permission to reduce such fees in necessitous cases. Boards to‘rhave the power to contract with friendly societies for the maintenance and ment of their members 'on' a gualanjefed payment of one-ball the above fees. (b) In order to extend further .then . usefulness there should be established in connection with public hospitals, wherever the conditions are private wards to which patiente-WouM'' - be admitted on payment of adequate A fees for maintenance and nursing attendance. Such wards tjp be,under too ■ control of the medical superintendent, , v but . patients to choose their own > cal attendant, and _ make their ,pvyu ; , • arrangement as to< his tees. .. 7. (a) Section 9 (2). Hospitals and. Charitable Institutions Ac|, 1909, sboulcl bo amended so to allocate Hie re-, presentatives of contributory districts, __ i„ proportion to their respective rateable capital value and population as a ratio of 2-3rds on rateable capital value and l-3rd on population! (b) The existing system of representation and suffrage should continue except where local contributory bodies, having different forms of suffrage, are'united, in one combined district; in such case the ratepayers’ suffrage should apply over the whole area. ■ The St. Andrew’s Orphanage, Nelson, is among the institutions; which the Commission recolnrneiids slhbula be continued as . separated institutions and receive the same scale of Snbsi- / dies as hospital boards on voluntary contribntio’n sand bequests.