EXTRAVAGANCE DENIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19389, 26 July 1926, Page 10

EXTRAVAGANCE DENIED

THE AUCKLAND HOSPITAL.

CHAIRMAN AND CRITICS.

COST OF THE NEW WARDS. PEOPLE MUST PAY FOR SERVICE. A reply to sortie of the allegations -of extravagance against the Auckland Hospital Board was made by the chairman of the board, Mr. W. Wallace, at the official opening of the new wards at the hospital yesterday. "Some people say that we do too much for. the nurse's of the hospital," Mr. Wallace said. "No better nurses are to be found in any hospital, and I -venture to assert that if the patients in the wards were asked for their opinions of the nurses 99 i per cent, would refer to them as 'ministering angels.' After we opened the nurses' home at the infirmary a few months ago somebody pointed to the carpet on the floor of the sitting room as evidence of extravagance. That carpet had been down for 15 years and was taken up, cleaned and repaired for the occasion. So much for that grumble. The people insisted that the nurses should be. given one day off duty in every seven. To do that wo had to engage 27 more nurses.

"There has been all sorts of talk in connection with this building," the chairman continued with reference to the wards which were about to be opened. He could not see any evidence of extravagance unless it was in connection with the inscription, "Wallace Wards" on the building. That inscription had not cost the ratepayers or the board anything, however, for the contractors had pub it up at their own cost. The actual expenditure on the building up to June 30 had been £89,589. Included in this amount was an item of £lllß for a concrete roadway to the boiler house at the back of the .building, but,,he. did not think this was a fair 'charge agcUnsfc : "iho wards, for the road would have had to be constructed in any case. Additional Costs Incurred. Mr. Wallace said the contract price for the building was £76,372. Public tenders had been- invited and the tender accepted was the lowest, the highest being £90,700. As the erection was proceeding, it was decided to enclose the balconies so that they could be used when there was an overflow of patients. It had also been found necessary to line the therapy department with lead for the protection of peoplfe in the vicinity of the department. This had cost £2023. There were a number of other items, electric light, lift, engineers, etc. He was satisfied that the statement that the building would tost £120,000 when completed was wide of the mark. H e knew that the building and equipment would not cost more than £IOO,OOO.

"People sometimes wonder why the cost of hospital administration goes up, but you cannot have special departments without paying for them," Mr. Wallace continued. As a case in point, •he instanced the massage department, where 'eight ysars ago one masseur was able to do all the work. To-dav a staff of 15 was required to enable the hospital to cope with all the demands on it. Last year there had been no fewer than 90,000 massage treatments. In addition to the increased staff all the electrical equipment for the department had to be paid for. Isolation Facilities Needed, Foreshadowing another item of expenditure for the ■ near "future, Mr. Wallace referred to the importance of having 'full isolation 'facilities for the treatment of infectious cases at the hospital. Dr. MacEacliern, the Canadian expert, had .said that it was necessary to provide hospital accommodation at the rate of from three to five beds per 1000 of population and one bed per 1000 for infectious cases. At the Auckland Hospital the accommodation was at the rate of three beds per 1000, but there was no provision for isolation cases. This question had been discussed By the board and the honorary medical staff, and it had been decided to confer with the Department of Health on the subject,

"I ,am inclined to think that Mr. Wallace is somewhat sensitive to criticism," remarked the Hon. J. A. Young, Minister of Health, who opened the wards. Hospital boards, like other public bodies, were subject to criticism, but as long 'as one felt that one was doing one's dqty and that right was on one's side, there was nothing to fear. (Applause.) The Minister said he would not refer, to the charges of extravagance, as the question had been referred to a Royal Commission, 'With regard to the isolation wards .he would be :.vecy pleased ' to .. place the officers of the Health Department, at the disposal of the boaid when tbo subject was being considered, and if the provision of such accommodation was found to be essential he, as Minister, would be very sympathetic.