"ALMOST A DISGRACE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 4 June 1907, Page 5

"ALMOST A DISGRACE."

DEATH IN AN AMBULANCE. DISCUSSION BY THE HOSPITAL BOARD. The matter of providing a nurse to accompany patients, when conveyed to the infectious diseases hospital in the ambulance, was brought up at last night's meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board. :■;■ The question has arisen in consequence of the death of the late Miss McMillan, of Parnell, who was taken to the hospital unattended, and who died in the ambulance on the way to the institution. ' '■' . The Chairman (Mr. L. J. Bagnall) said that Dr. • Mason, chief health officer, had suggested that the Board should send a nurse to accompany patients in such cases, but the question to consider in the first place was whether this was part of the functions of the Board. If they provided a nurse for such-a purpose it would probably cost £100 or £120. a year, as . it would mean that she would have to be practically eh-1 gaged for ' that pin-pose only. Patients were usually accompanied by a relative or friend, but in the case of the : late Miss McMillan it appeared that the driver of the ambulance refused to allow h>r. sister to accompany her. Some decision should be.arrived at, but the Board did not wish to take this duty, upon itself, unless it was shown that it was the responsible party. Mr. J. G. Rutherford The driver of the ambulance has no power to refuse- to allow a patient's sister to accompany her. The Chairman: No; but he appears to have done so.. "' Mr. P. M. Mackny said that it was almost a disgrace to a civilised community that the late Miss McMillan should have been taken away alone in the ambulance. The fact of being,hustled away to the hospital in this manner would naturally have a detrimental effect on anybody in a weak state/ At the same time, he did not think that the Board was -responsible. .The driver, an irresponsible person, took it upon himself to refuse to allow the patient's sister to accompany her, and it seemed that there was. no one there to interfere. I The Chairman: A constable was there, but there" was no one representing the Health. Department. Somebody should have been sent there by the Department to superintend the whole thing.•.';.' j Mr. Mackay thought that the Department's attention should be drawn to the matter. _ ■'.'-. . , - \ •Mr. J. Fitt suggested that it might be I necessary to keep the ambulance at the hospital. ' - /'■• '/:/'; The Chairman said it had been suggested that horses, as well as the ambulance, 'should be kept at the hospital. He moved, i"That the matter be referred to the Finance Committee, to ascertain whether it is the duty of the Board to make the necessary provision in such cases." The motion was agreed to. "