CARE OF THE SICK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17784, 18 May 1921, Page 8

CARE OF THE SICK.

! NEEDS QF INSTITUTIONS. jIXCREASED ACCOMMODATIOX. INSPECTION BY TIIC BOARD. An inspection of the various institutions under the control of the Auckland Hospital Board was made yesterday by members of the board, for the purpose of giving the newly-elected members an insight into the working of them. The trip proved most instructive, arid enabled members to see how urgent is the need for additional accommodation at the general hospital and Costlev Home. Ihe hospital was visited first, the parfv being escorted through the building by the medical superintendent, Dr. C. E Maguire, and the matron, Miss Taylor There 'ire at present about 480 paiients in the hospital, including 73 in the children's hospital. The nurses' home, Cost ley ward, laboratory, X ray department, and other buildings were also visited. \ arious improvements, and the sites for proposed extensions were pointed out bv the chairman of the board, Mr. \V. Wallace, members agreeing as to the greatneed for additions. Extensions to the nurses' cottage, an auxiliary to the nurses' home, are now in hand, and will probably he finished about the end if July. This will provide accommodation for 27 extra mirst-.s. and will enable flio board to give effect to its decision to give the nurses one day off duty each week An interesting feature of the tour of I the hospital was a visit to the boiler- ! iiouse, where two large boilers are being installed. These will provide steam for cooking and heating purposes, and will be of great advantage to the institution It is expected that the installation will be completed in about two months' time. The Alexandra Home for convalescents, at Ellersiie, was next visited. This home provides accommodation for women patients from the hospital who are in need of more care and attention during the period of convalescence than they could receive in their own homes. It is beautifully situated on rising ground at the lower end of tiie Ladies' Mile, and provides accommodation for fourteen patients. At present there are eleven convalescents in the home. The trip ended with a visit- to the Costlev Home, the visitors being escorted through the institution by Dr. P. MacKelvie and tlie matron. "There are 290 old folk in the home at present, 74 of whom are women. Many of the latter are infirm, and the need for a women's infirmary is one of the matters to which the board recognises attention should be given without delay. At present the sick women are nursed in the main wards with the other inmates, and it is felt that they should be placed ;n a separate ward of the same design as that now occupied by the male patients. Such an extension would necessitate a larger staff of nurses, and it is proposed that the- residence now occupied by Dr. MacKelvie should be utilised as a nurses' home, and an adjacent property, owned by the board-, used as the medical officer's residence. " The whole matter is one of £ s d," remarked Mr. Wallace. 1 The board is fully alive to the necessity for all these extensions, but tho difficulty is to find the money to carry them out." Members of the board will take a motor trip to W ark worth to day for the purpose of inspecting the cottage hospital there.