OUR HOSPITALS

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

OUR HOSPITALS

ADMINISTRATION SUGGESTIONS MORE VOLUNTARY EFFORT NEEDED DR. MacEACHERN’S REPORT Increased voluntary effort and community interest in connection with hospitals throughout tho Dominion is recommended by Dr M. T. MacEachern, who recently visited New Zealand at the invitation of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, with tho approval of the Dominion Government, to inquire into the Dominion hospital system and make v report. In his report he suggests:— (a) Increased systematic effort to secure voluntary gifts and benefactions in the °t (1) annual and life governors; (2) funds for special purposes; (3) endowments. . (b) Organisation of women's auxiliaries, guilds, associations or societies in each hospital district to assist or supplement the. work of the Board of Trustees, who give their time and energy voluntarily, freely and gratuitously. MANY WOULD GIVE While tho maintenance and capital revenue is secured mainly through rates and the consolidated fund,” he says, there are many persons throughout the Uomimon who could contribute liberally in addition to what they pay at present. There is always need in everv hospital for supplementary funds to round off or complete certain services, departments or activitfes which frequently c&imot be secured through the allotted budgets. "I hope voluntary effort and voluntary control will never bo replaced in JNew Zealand wholly by Governmental or national effort and control. If it does tile hospitals of this Dominion will never come # into their own under a wholly taxation system. A voluntarv giving people makes for batter citizenship, and tends to keep the hospital human.” SELECTION OF TRUSTEES /'The importance of having the right kind of trustees on every hospital board cannot be over-estimated. The system of election as prevails in New Zealand may not always bring out the best type of membership suited for the hospital needs, such as I find from long experienco may bo more assuredly obtained through the nomination method. However, under the present mode of financing hospitals in the Dominion, that is through rates, /he election system prevails. Hence, in order to secure and maintain a properly qualified board of trustees, the electoral support should be given only when the following condition ib fully complied with, namely:— "That membership on the board of trustees of any ’hospital should be confined to (a) such persons ns are representative of board community interests and varied callings of life, whose natural talents can be readily turned to tho advantage of the hospital; and (b) such persons as would be willing to make the hospital work their hobby and give of their time and energy freely and gratuitously. A DOMINION BOARD "It is apparent that there is a great need for a non-political, central controlling board, such as the Dominion Health Board, or one similarly constituted. A great weakness of the present system is tlie danger from political influence and interference, as has already been evidenced *in the case of so many unnecessary hospital districts in tho Dominion. "Matters of vital policy should not be handled by politicians, but by an organised, non-political Dominion hospital board, composed of representatives of—(a) The Government—the Minister for Health or the Director-General of Health, as well as further representatives if so desired; fb) tho hosoita) .boards of the Dominion; (c) the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. "All this would add much to tho present hoepital system of the Dominion, from the standpoints of both efficiency and economy. UNIFORM STAFF "Every hospital should have a complete staff of doctors giving their services gratuitously to the necessitous patients. In the metroplitan and base hospitals there should be a differentiation of staff as to services and specialties. In the district and cottage hospitals such a differentiation may not be practicable, and tho staff must be more of a general nature. "In the case of the smaller hospital, oven when the administrative work remains permanently in the hands of one man/ the medical and surgical work ot the public wards of the hospital should go to tho registered medical practitioners in the district, -who, if they desire, should be allowed to attend tlieir own patients in the hospitals, excepting such doctors as are found by the board to be unsuitable. "The staffing of hospitals to-day in a uniform manner, as indicated above, is one of the most vital questions facing the Dominion.” The report also advocated greater cooperation between the board and tho profession for better working and greater understanding.