REBUILDING PLAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22353, 26 February 1936, Page 14

REBUILDING PLAN

REPORT BY DOCTORS USE OF PRESENT SITE MODERN ACCOMMODATION SUGGESTIONS FOR POLICY The rebuilding of tho Auckland Hospital ou its present site, with a gradual but complete removal of existing buildings and their replacement by modern accommodation, forms tho basis of recommendations made by n special staff committee of leading medical men to tho Auckland Hospital Board at a special meeting last night. A summary of the principal findings «f the committee is as follows: That the time has arrived for the'provision of a complete modern hospital to serve tho needs of tho Auckland Hospital Board district. That the present site, but not the buildings, is ideal for the purpose. That the requirements should bo limited to approximately SOO active beds for all cases, excluding infectious disease and children's bed's. That , not more than 200 Recovery Home beds should be provided, preferably on the same sito. That adequate facilities should be provided for other auxiliary services, such as an intermediate hospital, chronic hospital, convalescent homes and chest hospital. Detailed Recommendations In more detail, the committee recommended the building of a chest hospital on the present infirmary site, although not necessarily immediately, and the uso of the Wallace Block at the hospital as a recovery home. It made full suggestions as to the efficient coordination of existing departments in specially designed buildings and the adoption of a new "unit ' system, providing more effective working conditions for the staff as a whole. The personnel of the committee, which has been investigating the board's building scheme and general proposals for some months, was as follows:—Mr. F. Macky (chairman), Dr. T. W. J. Johnson, Mr. K. Mackenzie, Mr. W. A. Fairclough, Mr. Morris Axford. Mr, A. McG. Grant, Mr. E. H. B. Milsom, Mr. J. Haxdie Neil, Dr. J. W. Craven, medical superintendent of the hospital, and Dr. C. McDowell, the board's tuberculosis officer. The board's architect, Mr. J. Farrell, collaborated with the committee. Instructions to Engineer The report was presented with some explanatory comment by the chairman of the committee, and, after numerous questions had been answered by Mr. Macky,. it was received by the board. Full consideration of the report was postponed, but the board decided to instruct its engineer to obtain levels so that the architect might be in a position to, draw up plans giving effect to the recommendations of the committee. Presented as a bound and printed document, the report occupied 15 pages, divided into four sections. After discussing its constitution, criticising strongly the present position of the hospital and giving suggestions for remedies, the committee, in the final section, proceeded to give its final recommendations. On general policy, the committee advised the setting of a limit to the ultimate size- of the present hospital on the present site of 800 active and 200 recovery beds. It was held that thereafter it would be desirable to build elsewhere. It also recommended the board to plan for the complete hospital, building to a specified plan as accommodation became necessary, and to provide a recovery home, chest hospital and auxiliaries. The " Unit " System Dealing with policy inside the hospital, the committee recommended tho co-ordination of departments and the adoption of the "unit" system. The latter was described as a system of allocating each medical, surgical or special team suitable ward Bpace for the accommodation of all cases to be cared for by the team, so that all their work would be concentrated into as small a space as possible. It was claimed that thiß would result in more effective care of patients by members of the honorary staff and more efficient nursing and tuition of nurses. The committee stated that the system should form the basis of the whole planning of the hospital, as added efficiency would warrant considerable sacrifice in economy if that proved unavoidable. It was explained that a unit consisted of two wards, one for men and one for women, under single control, and tho size of units would vary for the different sections. The committee discussed details of the arranging of the system and on this basis estimated the accommodation required as follows:—Medical, 240 beds in six units; surgical, 288 beds in eight units; orthopaedic, 108 beds in three units; far, nose and throat department, 54 beds in thi>e units; night casualty and ear, nose and throat special, 18 beds in one unit. This gave a total of 708 beds, and in addition it was necessary to provide general surgical and medical beds for 60 boys and girls. Mr. Macky explained that the figures assumed the adoption of the policy of recovery homes and other auxiliaries. Future Needs Stated "Tho committee is satisfied," the report: stated, "that the future needs of the hospital will warrant the ultimate provision of a total adult bed accommodation of 756, in addition to recovery home beds not exceeding 200 in number. The children will need 140 beds and cots, while the infectious diseases section is already provided for in the present wooden wards. A solarium ia an essential part of a modern hospital." After criticising the existing operating theatre accommodation, the committee stated that three groups of theatres were necessary—five theatres for general surgery, one theatre and two plaster rooms for orthopaedic surgery and, in the car, nose and throat department, one double theatre, with recovery rooms for outpatients. Waiting room accommodation was required for patients attending the various clinics and other departments and most urgently for tho relatives of patients who were seriously ill. After expressing the willingness of members to co-operate with the 'board and the architect in any further steps, the principal findings of the committee were listed as above.