HOSPITAL ORGANISATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22319, 17 January 1936, Page 10

HOSPITAL ORGANISATION

MINISTER AND DOCTOR OPPOSING VIEWS EXPRESSED [»Y TKI Kf.KAI'H I'KF.SS ASSOCIATION) lIA STI \" GS. Th urM a y Opposing views on the question of hospital organisation were expressed by the .Minister of Health, Hon. P. Fraser, and by J)r. H. M. Wilson, a member of the Hawke's Hay Hospital Board, during the former's visit to the Hastings Hospital. Mr. Fraser, it was to be gathered, tends to the view that there should be a limited number of central hospitals at which mnjor surgical operations should be performed and that tho smaller hospitals should not be used tor such purposes. Dr. Wilson expressed himself m tavour oi much smaller hospitals than are the rule, and said his experience as a visitor to hospitals abroad had convinced him that most central hospitals were far too large, so much so that the human element was almost submerged. The College of Surgeons, said Mr. Fraser, had declared that there should be only a few hospitals at which major operations should be performed. Their attitude was that the greatest possible surgical skill could not be made available at smaller hospitals for major operations and it was not fair to the patients to deny them the highest skill. Mr. Fraser was engaged throughout the day in Napier and Hastings hearing representations on a variety of subjects of local interest. He will leave to-morrow morning for southern Hawke's Bay in continuation of his tour.