WAITAKI HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25799, 21 March 1945, Page 3

WAITAKI HOSPITAL BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Waitaki Hospital Board was held yesterday morning. There were present; Mr dames Rodman (chairman), Mrs T. A. Munro, Messrs L. J. K. Familton, H. C. Jeffery, N, H. Colquhoun, E. S. Brewster, G. O. Pringle, and S. M. Taylor. The Waipiata Sanatorium Committee advised that it proposed to undertake capital works, for which a capital levy on associated boards totalled £SOOO, the Waitaki Board’s proportion being £4s7.—Mr Rodman stated the levy was based on capital values. Additions were still required at Waipiata. There were 136 beds at present, and they would have 150 beds and probably have 150 patients.—The letter was received. The Department of Health advised that under the Statutes Amendment Act no person employed by a hospital board should give to any person not employed by the board any information concerning the condition or treatment of any patient in any institution without prior consent of the patient or his representative, whether the patient was still in the institution or not, with certain exceptions, the penalty for an offence being a fine not exceeding £so.—The medical superintendent (Dr Bevan Brown) stated that it had always been an ethical responsibility, and it was now a legal responsibility, not to give information about patients. The board would appreciate his position except in cases in which the patient consented. Mr Rodman commented that it was only another infringement on their liberty, and they would soon be put in glass cases. Accounts and salaries amounting to £3921 14s 9d were passed for payment. The Hospital Board's Association wrote that the executive had been instructed to confer with the executives of the Municipal and Counties’ Associations with a view to bringing about unanimity of approach to the Parliamentary Select Committee on local government, and proposed to confine its submission to the one question of advantages of local control over central government control. —The chairman commented that the counties’ executive had agreed that the Government be asked to find a great deal more of the capital expenditure on the building of hospitals. The shortage of materials and increased costs were getting beyond bounds.

The Department of Health advised that the Cabinet had approved of the department's recommendation that hospital boards be required, in addition to their present obligations, to pay to the department £2O per annum for such period as they were already responsible for payment of salary to members of the civil nursing reserve.—The letter was received, and members of the board protested against having to pay in addition to wages and travelling expenses, a further amount to the department, even if the civil nursing reserve member was employed for only a week. The Public Trustee forwarded a statement of accounts in the estate of Mr Hugh Roberston, showing the board’s share of the distribution to be £2l.—Received, it being agreed that tire legacy should be expended in some way to commemorate the gift from Mr Hugh Robertson. Messrs Lee, Grave, and Zimmerman forwarded a statement and a cheque, being the amount due to the board as residuary beneficiary in the estate of Mr Isaac William Smith.—Received, and it was agreed that a sum should be deducted to provide a kerb and tablet on Mr Smith’s grave.

The resignations of Sisters D. G. Hay and K. Logan from the nursing staff of the Public Hospital were accepted, and their services to the hospital were acknowledged. Mr Rodman said Sister Hay had been an exceedingly good member of the staff for 10 years, and Sister Logan, who had been trained at the hospital, had also given splendid service. The medical superintendent reported there were 105 patients at the beginning of the month, 108 were admitted, 113 discharged 6 died,, leaving 94 remaining at U’c end of the month. The number of operations was 70, out-patients’ visits 476 and daily average of in-patients 98.4. ', 0 ma fron of Victoria Home reported that there were 21 inmates at the beginning oi the month, 2 were admitted, and 2 discharged, leaving 21 remaining. ~T , h e sister-in-eharge of "Glen Mavis” Maternity Hospital reported that there were three patients on February 1, nine admitted, six discharged, leaving six remaining on February 28.

The acting-matron of the Kurow Maternity Hospital reported three patients on February 1, one was admitted, three uihTJiargod, leaving one remaining on February 28.