HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9831, 28 May 1895, Page 6

HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

THE BOARD AND THE MEDICAL

STAFF.

THE BREACH WIDENS.

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST BOARD MEMBERS.

AN INDIGNANT MEETING.

At the meeting of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday, two letters from the Honorary Medical Staff were read, dealing with the much-debated question of the internal management of the Hospital. The first was of a more or less formal character ; bub the second, which contained a very serious and far-reaching indictment of the Board's management and grave charges against individual members, caused the utmost surprise and indignation. Those who thought that the termination of the recent inquiries had paved the way for an early understanding with the Honorary Medical Staff admitted thab the letter complained.of came like a bombshell in their midst, and had the effecb of dragging up once more those unpleasant and irritating matters which they thought they had done with. The letters were as follow :— To the Chairman of the Hospital Board. Sir, have to acknowledge, on behalf of the Honorary Medical staff, your note of May 22 inviting them to meet the Board in conference this afternoon if convenient. It is found impossible for the staff to attend to-day, but they will be glad, if convenient to the Board, to arrange for Wednesday, 29th inst., it four p.m., for the conference. In order to save time, the Honorary Medical Staff have the honour to request that the Board would put in writing their proposals with regard to alterations in the Hospital arrangements, and let the chairman of the staff have the same at their earliest convenience. As the advisability of any alteration depends entirely on a want of success in the working of present arrangements, the Hon. Medical Staff respectfully submit, in the accompanying enclosure, their opinion as to the causes of dissatisfaction in the past. am., etc., Ernest Roberton, Hon. Sec. Medical Staff. To the Chairman of the Hospital Board. Sir,—We are instructed by the Honorary Medical Staff to respectfully submit to your Board their opinion as to the failure of the present system of Hospital management to work smoothly. The present system was acting fairly well until the Board set up a committee to investigate the management of the various institutions under the control of the Board. This committee examined at the Hospital young probationers and junior officials with regard to the duties of their superior officers, and in the absence of the head of departments. From that time a want of discipline was observable among the subordinates, and as stated by the then chairman of the Board, there is no doubt that the action of the above committee was responsible for this. From that time there has been a series of complaints of insubordination against members of the nursing staff, followed by investigation by the Board, whicli in their results did not tend to improve matters. The condition of affairs was sufficiently serious a year ago for the lion, staff to write to the Board, requesting that discipline ought to be maintained. Since then the request has been repeated, but it, as well as the opinion of the resident medical officers and the head of the nursing staff have been uniformly ignored. The Board have also discussed in public the conduct of officials in such a way that they have made the question of discipline the subject of ridicule. The refusal of the Board to adopt the recent recommendation of the House Committee with regard to the dismissal of certain officials is to the honorary medical staff inexplicable if the members of the Board are sincere in wishing to maintain discipline. Besides these actions of the Board as a whole, individual members of the Board have encouraged gossip and frivolous behaviour in the Hospital. Other causes of trouble are shortly :—The withholding by the Board from the senior resident medical officer of authority which, accordiug to the rules, should be given him. The neglect by the Board to consult the responsible heads of departments prior to effecting changes in these departments, and interference by the Board in the details of management. The frequent presence at the Hospital of certain members known as the Fees Committee. The delay of the Board in defining the authority of the heads of departments. The neglect by the Board to provide suitable accommodation for special cases, resulting" in a public scandal. False statements made in public by members of the Board reflecting on members of the honorary and resident medical staffs. The misappropriation of medical stores by members of the Board for their own use. —We are. sir, on behalf of the Honorary Medical Staff, yours faithfully, G. T. Gikdler, chairman ; Ernest Roberton, hon. sec.

When the Skcretary started to read the second letter Mr. Gordon interrupted and urged that its contents were such that it ought not to be read. It was only giving advice to the Board.

Mr. Dignan (the chairman): We can't condemn the letter until we know what it is all about. .

Mr. Swales : Let us hear it.

Mr. Kisslisg : Surely we are not going to treat the honorary staff with such disrespect as not to read their letter. Mr. Gordon : It is no disrespect. The Secretary then proceeded to read the letter.

Mr. Gordon interrupted again, protesting against the staff casting reflections upon members and upon the past management of the institution. The matter, he said, should not be gone into in anticipation of the conference. The staff wanted to make their views public, whereas the Board might not have an opportunity of placing their case before the community. Mr. Bollard thought Mr. Gordon's action was most extraordinary. How were they to deal with the letter until its contents were made known He rose to a point of order. Mr. Diunan : There is no point of order. The letter must of course be read.

The letter was then read, Mr. Gordon making one or two interjections expressing his dissent from certain statements contained therein.

Mr. Bruce thought that the document was certainly a most remarkable one. Its contents were such that he would protest against any conference until the charges made in it were investigated. He would not take part in any conference while such charges were hanging over members. Mr. White said : I would nob meet individuals who would write like that. I agree with the attitude of Mr. Bruce. Mr. Swales said he had thought they had settled all the preliminaries for the conference, but this letter stirred the whole matter up again. He was surprised at the statements of the honorary staff. Mr. Stichbuky moved that the letter be returned as disrespectful to the Board. He was astonished that the doctors should have sent such a letter. The Board had tried to work with the honorary staff, but the staff seemed determined not to work with them. The Board ought nob to submit to such a communication.

Mr. Kisslin'g thought that they should be very careful in passing such a resolution as that proposed by Mr. Stichbury, as ib would mean a complete breach with the staff. It might mean the resignation of the staff. He was nob prepared to state whether that would prove an advantage or a disadvantage. However that might be they should not proceed without carefully weighing the consequences. Mr. Bruce said the staff seemed determined to exclude members of the Board from the Hospital. That appeared to be the principal object they had in view. If members were not to be permitted to enter the Hospital, the sooner they resigned the better. The letter was anything but courteous.

Mr. Bollard agreed that the tone of the letter was most unwise. Ho thought they were going to let bygones 'be bygones, but now the whole trouble had been again dragged up. He thought the staff should be requested to withdraw the letter complained of. Mr. Kissling - thought thab Mr. Stichbury's motion should bo withdrawn in favour of Mr. Bollard's suggestion that the staff be asked to withdraw their letter. It would put the matter mom mildly. Mr. Stichbuey agreed. It was than resolved, " That the staff be requested to withdraw the letter." Mr. Bollard then suggested thab perhaps the Board should put something in writing as to their opinions of hospital management, as suggested by the doctors in their first letter.

Mr. Bruce thought that they should pub nothing in writing. Mr. Uignan said the objecb of a conference was that gentlemen who could not agree on certain questions should meet face to face. It was nob for them to put their ideas in writing. He did nob see how the conference could now be held on bo early a date as .Wednesday. , ; , v , ■§■-•.;';■

lb was eventually decided that the staff be informed that the conference could nob be held on the date suggested.