SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 10

SOUTH OTAGO HOSPITALS

MONTHLY. MEETING OF BOARD The monthly meeting of the South Otago Hospital Board was held in Balclutha yesterday, there being- present Messrs J. W. Fenton (chairman), A. King, D. M’Gregor, A. Rennie, T. H. Russell, J. Christie, H. A. Brough, W. S. Thomson, W. J. M'Kenzie, and W. Sutherland. •' / ' SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORTThe medical superintendent (Dr D, ,G. Radcliffe) presented' the following report on the activities of the board’s institutions during May, the figures for the same period last year being given in parentheses:—Balclutha Hospital: Admissions 55 (50), discharges 48 _(5l), remaining 44 (42). Owaka Hospital: Admissions 14 (19), discharges 9 (16), remaining 12 .(11). Milton Hospital; Admissions 12 (17), discharges 12 (18), remaining 6 (5). - Kaitangata Hospital; Admissions 4 (11); discharges 5 (12), remaining 1 (2); out-patients 6 (4). —Roceived. ■ ’■ CORRESPONDENCE. The secretary of the Wallace and Fiord Hospital Board wrote asking if the South Otago Board would be prepared to enter into a reciprocal arrangement with regard to the treatment >of patients from the respective districts.!—lt was decided to reply on the same lines as the board’s answers to similar , applications from other boards.

The Minister . of' Finance (Mr J. G. Coates) wrote acknowledging receipt of •a resolution from the board in favour of a: reduction of interest on local bodies’ overdrafts to a rate not greater than i\ per cent, to 3 per cent., and stated that the resolution would be given the fullest consideration, as he was fully seized of the desirability of easing as much as was practicable the burden on ratepayers at the present time.—-Received. I The secretary, of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee advised that under the joint agreement made by the associated hospital boards for the establishment and maintenance of the sanatorium, it was necessary to elect a member of the board for the ensuing term. He also advised that the agreement made for 10 years expired on December 5 next, and he wished to know if the South Otago Board, was agreeable to a renewal of the agreement for a further term. —The chairman said that they were fully aware of the benefit derived by-, several residents of South Otago through the existence of the Sanatorium Committee, and he was of the opinion that they should enter into a new agreement.—lt was decided to carry out the suggestion, and the chairman was appointed the board's representative on the committee. The secretary of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee also advised tjiat the Minister of Health . had agreed to the purchase of an X-ray plant for the sanatorium, and he asked for payment.of the board’s quota (£B7) as early as possible. —The amount was passed for payment. The Director-general of Health wrote drawing attention to the fact that in a number of cases boards were incurring capital expenditure not provided for in their estimates, and stating that no expenditure exceeding £2O should be incurred without first securing • the Minister’s approval.—Received. i The Commissioner of Unemployment forwarded a circular letter dealing with the issue of working boots to unemployed, and asked for the board’s co-operation in the matter. It was pointed out that to obtain these boots unemployed men would be required to do an additional day’s work without pay. The boots in the meantime were only to be issued to unemployed men who had been on relief work for 26 consecutive weeks under scheme No. 5. —Received. The secretary of the Hospital Boards’ Association forwarded a circular letter dealing with agreements between friendly societies and hospital boards. The point raised was that under the provisions of the Act the benefits to be obtained by hospital boards respecting the collection of fees incurred in accident cases where damages were awarded might be affected by reason of the hospital fees of a member of a friendly society being so covered under the agreement with the friendly society that the insurance company might be able to say that no debt was actually due to the hospital board by reason of the fact that settlement had been arranged in advance. The matter had been discussed' between the. association, and combined friendly societies, and the solicitor to the association, and it was suggested that the following clause should be embodied in all agreements between hospital boards and friendly societies;— “ Provided that in all cases of ,bodily injury or disablement by accident where such does not result in death, the association shall not be liable for the cost of relief afforded the injured person by the hospital board, or any part thereof, unless and until it is established to the satisfaction of the hospital board and the association that tfyere is no reasonable prospect that the cost of such relief can be recovered by or on behalf of the injured person or the board by action at law against some third party, in which event the association shall be liable to the board for an amount equal to that ordinarily payable by the association in respect of similar relief in other cases. —lt was decided to adopt the clause for embodiment, in future agreements with friendly societies.