MATERNITY HOME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26078, 15 February 1946, Page 4

MATERNITY HOME

PURCHASE BY HOSPITAL BOARD ACQUISITION OF “EL NIDQ” IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS In an interview with a Daily Times reporter last night, Dr D. G. McMillan, chairman of the Otago Hospital Board, announced that the Hospital Committee had decided unanimously to recommend to the monthly meeting of the Hospital Board next Thursday that the board should purchase “El Nido ” Maternity Hospital and continue it in operation as a maternity home. “I have no doubt,” said Dr McMillan, “ that the board will accept this recommendation, as all the members of the board except one were present at the committee meeting, nor do 1 anticipate any difficulty about obtaining the consent of the Minister of Health (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer), for he, along with the board, has been seriously concerned about maternity accommodation in Dunedin for some time.”

As soon as the board heard in December last that “El Nido” was likely to be closed, negotiations were opened with the owner, Dr McMillan continued, and ultimately an option to purchase it as a going concern was successfuly concluded. “The committee also includes in its recommendations an important and, to my mind, a very gratifying innovation so iar as public hospital maternity facilities are concerned,” said Dr McMillan. “It is recommended that ‘EI Nido’ shall continue to operate, as it has in the past, with patients having the right to be attended by the doctor of their own 'choice, with the one proviso that patient and doctor must approve of one or two senior medical students being in attendance, as at Queen Mary Maternity Hospital, for instructional purposes. “ These are changing times,” added Dr McMillan, “and the time is long past when there should be any differentiation in respect to the advantages and privileges available between patients who receive their attention in community institutions and those in private institutions.” Dr McMillan said he was sure the prospective mothers who were to be confined at “ El Nido ” would welcome the privilege of being attended by the doctor of tneir own choice. “ I wish to piake it quite plain.” added Dr McMillan, “that this arrangement will not interfere in any way with patients who are already booked at ‘EI Nido,’ for the option gives the licensee the right to remain in possession until all her present bookings are completed, which she estimates to be some time in August.” Dr McMillan stated that he was making this information public at this juncture with the consent of the committee in order to allay the anxiety of those expectant mothers w.ho were due to be confined in the early spring and who had been unable to book beds in any maternity hospital.