PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27387, 12 May 1950, Page 6

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Reasons For Many Closing INQUIRY TO BE HELD PA WELLINGTON, May 11. Cabinet has approved the appointment of a committee of inquiry to report to the Minister of Health, Mr Watts, on the question of private hospitals in New Zealand. Announcing this today, the Minister said the committee will comprise Dr Duncan Cook, of the Department of Health, who will be chairman, and Messrs G. R. Lee, secretary of the Private Hospitals’ Association, T. Smith, a public accountant, of Christchurch, and G. Badger, of tlje Department, of Health, as secretary. The committee will be asked in its report to give special reference to the following points: Finance, including reserves for depreciation and replacement; buildings and equipment, with special attention to fire escapes; staffing and working conditions; price levels and controls; social security subsidies; the reasons why private hospitals are closing, and whether it is possible to keep-them functioning, and any further matter wfiich the committee considers desirable. The Minister said that in 1945 there were 294 private hospitals in New Zealand, and pf this total 172 were maternity hospitals. Last year the total was 211 private hospitals, 101 being maternity hospitals. There were 2966 beds (1059 of them in maternity hospitals) in private hospitals in 1945, but four years later the total was down to 2543 beds, of which only 699 were in maternity hospitals. Over the past 20 years private hospitals in New Zealand have been operating under difficulties, which considerably increased during the past few years,” said Mr Watts. “Over this period many private licensees have been unable to set aside any capital to bring their hospitals up to modern standards.” The committee would advise the Government whether it should assist private hospitals, he said. ■lt would sit in the four main centres on the following dates: Auckland, May 29 to June 2; Christchurch, June 19 to 23: Dunedin, July 3 to 7; Wellington, July 17 to 21.