ST. HELENS HOSPITALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19158, 26 October 1925, Page 8

ST. HELENS HOSPITALS.

A REPLY TO CRITICrSM. ACCOMMODATION FOR NURSES. MATTER BEING CONSIDERED. A criticism, of the conditions existing in St. Helens hospitals made by Mr. F. S. Morton, National candidate for Auckland Central, has drawn a reply from Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health. Mr. Morton stated the hospitals were in an overtaxed condition; that no conveyance was provided to take the nurses to cases; and that the Government's purpose in handing over the St. Helens hospitals to hospital boards for administration threatened to turn them into rnonev-making institutions. Referring to the St. Helens Hospital in Auckland, Dr. Hughes said the question of outside accommodation for nurses was now under consideration. He quite admitted that more accommodation was required. The question of extending the present building was also under consideration, but was delayed on account of th« proposal that the Hospital Board might take over the administration of the institution. , » Regarding the suggestion of the hospitals being money-making institutions, Dr. Hughes said they would have to pay their way. The hospital boards would have to run them, however, for the class of patients for which they were provided. "The statement that no conveyance is provided for the nurses is quite wrong," Dr. Hughes said. "In urgent cases or in cases where the nurse is required late at night they are authorised to hire a taxicab. In the ordinary course of events they would make use of other conveyances."