NELSON HOSPITAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 11 April 1934, Page 2

NELSON HOSPITAL

INCREASE IN ESTIMATES REVIEW OF YEAR’S WORKING STATEMENT iiV CHAIRMAN “CREDITABLE RESULT CONSIDERING CIRCUMSTANCES” The Nelson Hospital Board met this morning to receive the annual report on the. year ending 31st March last, and to consider the estimates for the ensuing year as submitted by the Town Committee of tile, board.

The statement of receipts and expenditure allowed a debit balance of £594, and the estimates for 1934-35 provided for a revenue of 1)24,448 against £23,181 last year. I lie meeting was attended by Major K. Dagger (chairman), Mesdames Watson and Molfalt, Messrs J. G. Rage, U. TunmelilTe, T. Gibbs, J. lutz-Gcrald, and Herbert Everett. In reviewing the past year’s work the chairman said: “At the close of our third quarter I mentioned to the board that there was a prospect of finishing the year within the estimates. Unfortunately my hopes have not been realised. Several circumstances over which we had no control have contributed to our finishing the year with a debit balance of £594. At the beginning of our last quarter we bad to deal with 'tbe typhoid epidemic in the lakaka district This involved considerable outlay in providing special accommodation for over 20 patients, extra nursing staff bad to be secured, and owing to the nature of the disease very considerable quantities of material were used and the treatment generally ran into considerable cost. “Another circumstance which I had not reckoned with has been the continued high number of in-patients. During the summer months in the past 'ye have always experienced a falling-off in the number of occupied beds, but this year unfortunately there has been no appreciable decrease. Last month the number was 90.

“From the statements before you I would draw your attention to the fact that our maintenance expenditure for the Hospital Board’s service over the whole district lor last year was £1985 less than in 1933, and £1859 less than in 1932. I will refer briefly to the outstanding items in relation to the Nelson Hospital in particular. “The credit balance at the beginning of the year was £877, and the debit balance at the end of the year was £594. The additional expenditure was mainly due to the increased demands upon the services of Nelson Hospital. The estimated cost of running the institution was £15.000, but the actual cost was £15,981. ‘ STATISTICS OF NELSON HOSPITAL

The chairman then covered the statistics of the hospital with comparative figures for 1932 and 1933, as follows: — Maintenance, to 31/3/32, £16,208; to 31/3/33, £14,422; to 31/3/34, £15,981. Patients treated —in-patients, 1,375 ; 1,369; 1.437; (increase 70); out-patients, 741; 705; 1.136 (431). Average number of occupied beds per diem, 73.7 ; 73.2; 95.8 (22 per cent). Average individual days’ stay, 20.8; 20.6; 25.8 (5). Cost per occupied bed, 201.6; 197.4; 170 (approx.). Fees receiydfl-, £4,476; £4,723; £4,428 (decrease £300). This showed that although maintenance costs had increased over the previous year’s figures, the average number of occupied beds and the average individual days’ stay bad also increased by approximately 25 per cent., while the cost per occupied bed, so far as at pressent ascortaiiible, had fallen considerably. TREATMENT OF PATIENTS FROM RELIEF CAMPS

“The, increase in the number of occupied beds is largely due to the number of cases from the various relief camps in tho district,” said the chairman, “and also to prevailing economic conditions among our own people, while the average days stay is likewise lengthened on account of lack of facilities for necessary post hospital treatment of cases in .the first-mentioned category, plus a practically continuous full house of chronic and other cases necessitating treatment over lengthy periods—an example of the latter class being the recent typhoid cases from the Takaka district when some 21 patients wore under treatment for two months. It is satisfactory to record that only one case .terminated fatally.” “Unfortunately the board must be prepared to provide for a further year of economic uncertainty and to be in a position to do so the estimates submit-

ted to-day will require increased contributions from the contributory local authorities.” LOCAL BODY CONTRIBUTIONS Thu total of the local body contributions have been increased from £8625 in 1933- to £9738 for 1934-35, shown as follows: Waimca County Council, 1933-34, £3,283; 1934-35, £3,710; increase £427. Nelson City Council, 1933-34, £2,937; 1934- 113,324; increase £397. Takaka County Council, 1933-34, £670; 1934-36, £745; increase £75. Murchison County Council, 1933-34, £461; 1934-35, £si3; increase £52. Motueka Borough Council, 1933-34, £421; 1934-35, £474 ; increase £53. Collingwood Countv Council, 1953-34, £413; 1954-35, £461; increase £4B. Richmond Borough Council, 1933-34, £269 ; 1934-35, £304 ; increase, £35. Tahunamii Town Board, 1933-34, £181; ’1934-35, £207; increase, £26.

Making totals £8,625; £9,738; increase, £1,113. The Consolidated Fund will be similarly affected as follows in regard to subsidy: 1933-34, £9,904; 1934-35, £lO,599; increase, £1496.

THE ESTIMATES

OUTLINE OF DETAILS The estimates of receipts and expenditure as recommended by the Town Committee were detailed as follows : —- MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS £ Patients’ fees, Nelson Hospital 4,000 Patients* fees, Motueka Hospital 50 Charitable Aid recoveries 600 Bents, etc 350 Levy on local bodies 9,298 Subsidy from Government ....... 10,150

Total £24,448 PAYMENTS £ Bank overdraft 598 Maintenance —Nelson Hospital 16,000 Motueka Hospital 50 Alexandra Home 1,000 Charitable Aid 2,000 011101’' boards, etc 1,000 Administration 1,500 Interest 1,150 Grants to M. &N. Services ... 1,000 National Provident Fund 100 Refund subsidy 50 Total £24,448 CAPITAL RECEIPTS £ Casli in band . ? Levy 44v Sndsidy 440 Total £BB3 EXPENDITURE £ Sinking Fund 340 Loan Repayments •• 343 Total £BB3 The estimates as submitted were endorsed on the motion of Messrs Everett and Tunnicliff.