NEW ZEALAND HOSPITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18380, 19 October 1921, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND HOSPITALS

THE DIRECTOR’S SUGGESTIONS. (From Odr Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 18. In the report of the Health Department, Dr Wylie, the Director of Hospitals, is quoted as saving:—“We have _ a good hospital system,” but as Dr Wylie* says there should bo better co-ordination of hospitals, so that more efficient medical and surgical treatment may be given the patient. Hospitals should therefore be grouped for that purpose, and better arrangements made for the transfer of patients from one hospital to another, according to the treatment needed, despite the fact that the hospitals concerned may be in different hospital districts. There is no doubt that the special departments must he developed to their fullest extent, and certainly in the base hospitals of the larger centres, and that to ensure these special departments being developed to their fullest efficiency special subsidies should be given. These base hospitals should he available for patients from other hospital districts, at any rate until such time as those special departments can he instituted in other hospitals. This, of eburse, is impossible just new. and if is feared the development of our hospitals must be necessarily somewhat slow for the next few years. Dr Wylie stresses the necessity for developing i better record and stores system. The necessity, especially for the latter, has been obvious to the departmental officers concerned for some time, but the staff necessary for this development could not be obtained. It is fortunate, however, that as regards <_ur stores system the matter was deferred, as the department has been able to secure the serv’ces of officers who gained snecial experience in these matters during the war. The need for the employment of dietitians in our larger hospitals is quite ipparont to those who have had the advantage <1 visit ing those hospitals in the United Kingdom. Canada, and the United States of America where such officers have been appointed. Increased cleanliness in the pteparation of food, as well as a better use of foodstuffs, and the resulting ecoromv. should, as is usually the ciue, follow the appointment of these officers. ,