HOSPITAL DEFICIENCIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24131, 25 November 1941, Page 6

HOSPITAL DEFICIENCIES

The people of Auckland will be profoundly disturbed by the criticisms of the Director-General of Health published to-day on the conditions at the Public Hospital. Dr. Watt directed his attention to two major subjects—inadequate staffing and overcrowding and risk of infection in various wards. He recommended, and said he had recommended before, the appointment of at least one senior physician and in particular said that the medical staff was inadequate for dealing with tuberculosis. The board did' not refer in its debate to these aspects of Dr. Watt's criticisms. The omission is remarkable and as the matter stands at present there seems no reason why the appointments recommended should not be made. Their urgency is obvious. The question of overcrowding is a somewhat different though not less important or disturbing matter. The Board, in time of war, undoubtedly faces tho problem of securing materials for new buildings. But it is entitled to ask the Government, in the interests of the health of the community, to arrange at once for such new buildings as will eliminate the alarming risk of infection disclosed, for example, in cases of tuberculosis. The Government seems to have no trouble, war or no war, in proceeding with its pet scheme of ; socialised house building. Why can-

not it interrupt this programme so that a hospital in another city area can be erected at once? The Government's responsibility is the greater because its social security scheme encourages people to enter the Public Hospital who should properly not be there at all. One thing is clear: the problem cannot be left where it is. The public will emphatically not agree with the member of the Board who thought that his colleagues should not worry much about Dr. Watt's letter. The matter is far too serious for such cavalier treatment.