HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 40

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD.

The fortnightly meeting of th« Hospital *nd Charitable Aid Board was held on *he 18th in the Empire Buildings, and was Attended by Messrs J. H. Walker (chairitmn) W. T. Talboys, S. S. Myers,. W. Ekie, W. E. S Knight, HM Driver, J Gumming, D. Larnach, J. J. J. }J F> Hamel, E. A. Tapper, H. M Ewing, und R. Templeton. - Mr J. H. Scott wrote accepting the position of a co-optative member of the The Chairman welcomed Mr Tapper as a of the board. HOSPITAL CHAEGES The Chairman said ho would like to mention, in connection with recent letters appearing in the press in regard to the charges mad© to patients at the Hospital that it should bejdisiinctly understood that the Hospital was, in the first ease, for indigent people, and for those who could not afford to pay for treatment outside. Their rules distinctly laid that down. There was not one member of the. board who wished to inflict, a hardship on patients entering the. institution. Out of 150 patients in the Hospital an average of but 32 had paid 'sss a week, which showed that no hardship was being inflicted.. The speaker said he thought an explanation of this 1 matter at the present juncture was very timely. Mr Hamel fisid if the circumstances of a patient, when investigated, warranted it the fees due from a patient should be remilted. ' The Chairman said, on every account presented to a patient, was affixed the following rate:—" The Hospital is free to those Who cannot afford to pay, but the charges for m&ihtenance of others-are as follows: Children under 15 years, 3s per day; adults, .5s per day. Should a patient bo unable to pay the above charges in whole or in part a statement to'that effect, with a full account of the financial circumstances, should be furnished to the (secretary of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Duncdin, to enable ah investigation to be made, when the matterwill be dealt with by the Hospital Committee." In answer to a question by Mr Hamel, the Secretary stated that this rule had been in force for the past three months. PENSIONER PATIENTS. In answer to a question by Mr Knight, the Chairman stated that it had been the custom to take charge of the money due) to old-age pensioners entering the institution, and in some cases the board retained part of it and in others took the whole amount.. Where an old-age pensioner was in the Hospital for three or four months tho pension would accumulate, and the boaindl. did not think it right under such' circumstances to give the pensioner that money. He might not make the best use of ii. Where, however, a pensioner was, only in for two or three weeks, they thought the money should not be taken from him. Tfie Chairman said he would also like to mention that the fees charged in the Dunedin Hospital were the lowest of the four centres." - They were considerably below those asked in Christchureh, Wellington, or Auckland. - TAPANUI HOSPITAL. . In answer to a question by Mr Myers, the Chairman stated that a sketch plan for the Tapanui Hospital had been completed by Mr Wales and sent forward to the Tapanui Committee for ratification and for any recommendations it might make. On the return of that plan, Mr Wales would draw, up a full plan. HOSPITAL EXTENSION. ' Mr Blackie said, in view of the overcrowded state of the Dunedin Hospital, it might be advisable for the board to consider the question of sending convalescents to the Lawrence and Kaitangata institutions. The board should also endeavour to obtain a special railway carriage for the benefit of such convalescents and consumptives. I The Chairman said the railway authorities had a hospital waggon which could be used for patients. There would be a difficulty in sending convalescents to Lawrence, as it was anticipated that that institution would be full. Within the next month a report would be submitted on the new ward for the Hospital, and also as regards a secondary hospital. At present there was a difficulty in the Hospital in isolating different troubles. He recognised, with the Inspector-general and Dr Champtaloup, that •jjhey must make better provision for infectious diseases. He thought the people had every reason to congratulate themselves on the result of the recent canvas, and he hoped that the full amount of £6OOO would be in their hands within a fortnight. It had been said that all ratepayers should be balled on to pay through the'rates, but he would like to point out that this year the amount of their levy came to £38,000, as against £34,000 last year. The erection of the ward -would have been delayed by thus making a levy, whereas now the plans of the new ward would be put in hand at once. —(Applause.) j GENERAL. . The Chairman said it was somewhat unfortunate that by Mr Tapper's appointP|i«nt as a member of the board they had 'lost a member of the Hospital Committeo, q£ whicji committee Mr Tapper was a oc~ member. They had the full nuittr per of members on the Hospital Committee, and Mr Tapper, by his election, bad "ceased to be a co-optative member, fc'Mt Tapper was then made a member of fcho Benevolent and Works Committees'* j