MANGONUI HOSPITAL BOARD.

Northland Age, Volume III, Issue 33, 26 August 1931, Page 2

MANGONUI HOSPITAL BOARD.

A meeting of the Mangonui Hospital Board was held in the Council Chambers, Kaitaia, on » Wednesday of last week, when the following members were pre- ■ sent —Messrs T. S. Houston (chairman), L. J. Matthews, L. A. t Mclntosh, J. N. Berghan, Barriball, Hoskin, Evans. The greater '.part of the morning sitting was devoted to correspondence and small matters of little public interest. Accounts totalling £456 7s 7d were passed for payment. At 1.30 p.m. the board made a tour of inspection of the local hospital where they met Mr. H. W. Johnston, Technical Inspector of the Health Department. Matters dealing with the electric lighting plant, fuel and water were investigated. The board resumed at 2 3Q p.m. when Dr. Rule, the hospital superintendent gave a report on the Mangonui Hospital. The first matter dealt with by the Superintendent was the purchase of drugs. He suggested ♦ that this was a matter that required the board’s close investigations. With the assistance of his matron he had made a der tailed examination of the board’s past purchases. The result was enlightening and showed that with a different system of buying it would be a matter of no great difficulty to effect a considerable saving. Quoting the purchase of adhesive tape, this, he said, was typical of uneconomical buying In the past it had been the prac-

tice to buy this tape in half doz. lots. He contended that an appreciative saving could be made if this tape was ordered in gross lots. Cod liver oil he noticed was purchased in gallon bottles at prices ranging from 7/6 to 8/6. In addition to this they had to pay for the bottles which increased the price from 8/- to 9/-. He suggested that it would be more economical to purchase this oil in 10 gallon containers. Tinctures were unwisely purchased in small quantities which added further to the waste. Perhaps the most striking case ot unwise expenditure referred to by the Superintendent was the purchase of distilled water used lor batteries. This cost the board £ll per annum. He strongly advised them to purchase a plant which would entail an initial expense of £8 and which for years would provide them with all the distilled water they require at a cost which would be infinitesimal. The doctor’s last item dealt with the purchase of anaesthetics. These at present were purchased in 7lb lots. He strongly advised them to purchase quantities of not less than SOlbs, as this would also effect a significant saving. Summing up the few items which he had brought before the board’s notice, the doctor estimated that in these alone he could effect a saving of at least £2O per annum.

The charman said that the board had carefully explored every avenue in order to effect economy. The purchasing of such things as drugs and metji-

cine had always been executed by the Medical Superintendent. Economy in this direction could clone be brought about by the superintendent and he felt that Dr. Rule’s action would give the members of the board every confidence that their superintendent would not permit any unneces sary expenditure. The chairman now moved that the Superintendent and the secretary be instructed to go into the question of purchasing drugs and dressings, and that they have power to act. Mr. L. J. Matthews seconded the motion. Congestion in Hospital. Speaking on the subject of congestion in the Mangonui Hospital Dr. Rule said that this was a matter of grave urgency. It entailed the segregation of T.B. patients which was a matter of vital importance as far as the efficiency of the hospital is concerned.

At the previous meeting of the hospital board he had been instructed to accompany Messrs Barriball and Matthews to inspect the P.W.D. Buildings a 1 Okaihau with a view of ascertaining whether there were suitable buildings for sale in that camp which could be utilised for accommodating T.B. patients. This excursion had been a fruitful one and for a very reasonable cost they could procure what they required. After a lengthy discussion it was decided that for the sum of £l2O a building complete with sanitary arrangements suitahle for accommodating five patients

could be erected by purchasing one of the P.W.D. houses. A resolution empowering the secretary to tender for the building inspected by Dr. Cameron was now passed. Emergency Room. The room at present occupied by the Matron at the Mangonui Hospital is to be vacated at an early date A new bedroom is to be erected on the verandah. The Superintendent advised the board to convert the room when vacated into an emergency side room. In asking that this should be done Dr. Rule pointed out that at present there were no facilites, in the hospital for accommodating serious cases which required special attention and quietness away from the bustle of a general ward. This room would also be useful to accommodate patients who were operated on late at night. Such patients at present had to be accommodated in a general ward and naturally disturbed the other occupants of that ward from having their proper rest. He also suggested that the presence of a person who was in a critical condition also had a detrimental effect upon other patients in the ward. A brief discussion ensued and it was decided that when the Matron’s present room was vacated, the doorway should be widened, double swing doors fitted and the room utilised for the purpose suggested by Dr. Rule. Congestion in Theatre,. In drawing the Board’s attention to the limited space available

in the operating theatre at the Mangonui Hospital the superintendent quoted Dr. Paget as passing unfavourable comment on the congestion in the theatre. Dr. Rule suggested that the difficulty could be overcome by a maximum cost of £B. He proposed that they erect a new store-room on the verandah near the present J store-room and utilise the old | store-room for housing the instrument case and such other equipj ment as would not be necessary during the progress of an operation. A resolution adopting this suggestion was carried. Unauthorised Expenditure, As it was maintained by the superintendent that the allowance of £3 for petty cash made to the matron was insufficient to meet the sundry expenses which accrued each month. The Board decided that a grant of £5 per month be made to the doctor tor unauthorised expenditure. Appointment of Night Sister, In asking that a night sister be appointed to the Mangonui Hospital Dr. Rule pointed out that under the existing conditions an untrained nurse performed these duties, This was a matter that was worthy of immediate consideration as it burdened both the matron and himself with a certain amount of unnecessary responsibility and uneasiness. Were the ward at night in charge of a trained nurse both he and the matron this would be eliminated. He considered it an unwise practice to employ a pro. as night charge—the responsibility

was too great for a girl who was untrained. After a lengthy discussion the board gave the Superintendent the necessary authority to alter the staffing arrangements by appointing a night sister. Emergency Bed-Kaitaia Hospital. This subject was introduced by Dr. Rix as the outcome of a discussion which took place at a previous meeting of the Board, liie matter concerned the action of Dr. Rix in admitting a patient who suffered from a fractured leg, to the Kaitaia hospital. Dr. Rule considered that his contemporary’s action was justified. The chairman was of the opinion that they should conform rigidly to the instructions issued by.the Health Department concerning the Kaitaia Hospital. Mr. Mclntosh suggested that to » much red tape often upset amicable co-operation. Mr. L. J. Matthews remarked that when a previous accident case had been admitted to ihe Kaitaia Hospital no comment was made. The discussion continued, the chairman maintaining that they should have adhered to the department’s regulations. Finally the following resolution was passed, the chairman asking that his vote be recorded against it —“ I hat the medical superintendent and medical officer shall have discretionary powers regarding the admission of paticnis into the Kaitaia Hospital.”