MEDICAL POSTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 15

MEDICAL POSTS

hospital proposals the two directors definition of duties KO OUTSIDE FRACTICE Following a full consideration of the projected scheme by a special committee, which included three co-opted members of the honorary staff, tho conditions of appointment for the proposed directors of surgery and of medicine at the Auckland Hospital were determined by tho Hospital Board last night. It is intended to call applications immediately for these positions and for the reorganised office of secretary, rendered vacant by the pending retirement of Mr. H. A. Sommerville. The committee comprised the chairman of the board, the Rev. W. C. Wood, Mrs. M. M. Drearer, Dr. E. B. Gunson, Mr. W. A. Bishop, and Mr. G. T. Parvin. Tho representatives of the honorary staff present at the meeting when the conditions of appointment were formulated for ratification by the board were Dr. Kenneth MacCormick, Mr. Frank Macky and Dr. T. W. J. Johnson.

Chairman's Assurance Reporting to the board on the results of the conference, Mr. Wood said that Dr. MacCormick had stated that he feit a majority of the honorary staff was in favour of chiefs of the two .services being appointed. Their difficulty, however, was that they were not quite in agreement how it was to be / done. Mr. Wood said the grievance had been repeated that the board had proceeded to create the two offices without first consulting the honorary staff, and he had taken upon himself to assure the doctors that any action in this matter was in no way intended as a reflection upon the honorary staff or its work. The board's only object had been to introduce as far as possible a satisfactory system of supervision and control. "I explained that the majority of the board thought the time had arrived / when control should be in the hands of men specially trained in the surgical and medical divisions of the work, and that they should be paid officers, not honoraries," Mr. Wood continued. "I pointed out that we fully appreciated the work of every member of the honorary staff. The meeting of the committee was a very happy one, and cordial relations were established."

Qualifications of Officers In determining the conditions of employment of the two medical executives, the board decided that either of the officers, acting under the authority of the board, would have power to veto the acts of the honorary statf should the occasion warrant such action. This would be a very serious matter on their part, however, and naturally they would not do so without full and proper consideration. The chief of surgery must be a fellow of a recognised college of surgeons of the British Empire and the chief of medicine a member of a recognised British college of physicians. Both are to have at least 10 years' experience since qualifying, and it would be preferable that a considerable portion of this experience should have been gained with hospitals. It was to be definitely understood that the prpposed appointments were not to be used as stewing stones for private practice, and a clause would be inserted in the conditions prohibiting an applicant from taking up a practice in Auckland for a period of five years after ceasing his engagement with the ' board Question oi Admissions

It -was decided that neither supervisor should have the power of admitting patients as a routine matter and that "the control of admissions should be left in the hands of the medical superintendent, any suggested change being discussed at a later date. Each of the two chiefs is to have control of 30 general medical and surgical beds respectively, with no special beds, and outside consulting practice is not to be permitted. They will be expected to co-operate and consult with a permanent sub-committee of the honorary staff, including the holding of regular weekly conferences. An amendment introduced by 31 r. £ H. Potter and seconded b.v ilr. \V. G. Mulhollartd that the proposals should be deferred until the Government introduced its national health scheme and its report on the medical staffing of hospitals and until after the general election was_ lost. lbo Uio\er and seconder were its only supporters and the report of the committee was adopted. Office of Secretary |t The duties of the secretary were also defined, the point Jjeinc stressed that he would be the chief executive officer, responsible to the board for the administration of all departments except the medical and nursing services, which were under separate control. The salary is to he £I2OO. rising to n maximum of £ISOO. applications for the position closing on February 28. An amendment introduced by Air. Mulhollnnd to defer consideration or the conditions of appointment until February was lost. Applications for the position are to He called in New Zealand and Australia. The two medical posts will be filled from applicants in the Dominion, the salary _£ a being £ISOO a year, rising to £-000