TOO MANY DISTRICTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12425, 20 April 1926, Page 9

TOO MANY DISTRICTS

HOSPITALS SUBDIVISION CLASSIFICATION SUGGESTED EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY AIMED AT It is the view of Dr. MacEachern, reporting upon New Zealand hospitals that there are too many hospital districts in the Dominion, making for less economy, and generally more unweildly administration. "There aro at present forty-six hospital districts in the Dominion,” he says, "whereas approximately twenty-one would •a sufficient. This moans expensive and unnecessary duplication, which is detrimental to the best interests of economy and efficiency. GREATER ECONOMY "There are several hospital districts which cannot maintain a proper set-up, as each district should have. A great economy could be effected, and a much higher degree of efficiency maintained, if there were the proper number of hospital districts, each with a standardised *ot-up. "It is indeed to be regretted that originally the hospital districts did not correspond with the health districts, thus providing four metropolitan hospital districts, namely, Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Auckland, with the necessary sub-districts or hospital areas. COMPLETE SURVEY "Under the preset conditions, however, approximately twenty-one districts would be sufficient, grouped around the following hospitals respectively:— (a) Metropolitan: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. (b) Base: Invercargill, Oamaru, Timaru, Ashburton, Blenheim, Nelson, Greymouth, Masterton, Napier, Gisborne, Roto* rua, Hamilton, Whangarei, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Hawera, and New Plymouth. "I strongly urge a complete survey of the whole Dominion, with a view to the redistribution of hospital districts, in the interests of greater economy And increased efficiency.” COTTAGE HOSPITAL Cottage, or those of less than twenty occupied beds daily, and situated in the smaller populated a-r&as, or the more outlying parts of the district. These institutions should provide accommodation and services for (1) maternity, (2) emergency, (3) minor medical cases. The names of hospitals were quoted merely to illustrate the type of hospital he would include in the various classes. A standard set-up for each hospital district was most essential, and should embrace the following: (a) Central Board and office; (b) a Metropolitan or Base Hospital; (c) the necessary number of secondary hospitals—district, cottage, or special. /