PRIVATE WARDS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16710, 21 April 1925, Page 6

PRIVATE WARDS.

A (TO M A 101) A TIXG I* A VIXG PATIENTS. (Specin! to the Herald.) ('HlilSTGlirUCil, tliis day. “Aly opinion is that the Hospital ought, to ho open to everyone, ’ ’ said Ihe chairman of the Xortli Canterbury Hospital Hoard (Mr. H. .1. Otlov), at; tho annual mooting, in tho course of his annual address. “You cannot' expect. however,” he continued, “ to ask the honorary staff to do tho work without being paid; the only way to yet over it is to erect private wards, and my opinion is that- we should do so

straight away so that people may remove the benefit, of our special departments without having to be moved. I have heard of a patient being brought, from a private hospital to the public h.osiptal to be examined, and then taken home.”

Referring to the chairman's remarks, in the course of discussion later, the Rev. .1. I\. Archer expressed

the opinion that the Board, could take up the matter much sooner than some members imagined. The idea seemed to bo that the Board could not have these patients without, building a special department to receive them. He thought, they might need an extra ward or two, but not an extra department. As to the question of payingdoctors, he saw no reason why tho Board could not apply to the city hospital what they had applied to the country hospitals. In country hospitals patients were charged by the Board for maintenance, and they paid their own doctor. People paying large sums in rates should lie able to avail themselves of facilities of the special departments. , He wished to avoid anything in the nature of two types of hospital; his idea being one hospital open to all classes. This question was referred to by the medical superintendent (Dr. Pox), in his report. He stated, inter alia:

“The improvement in hospital management lias had the effect, of popularising the hospitals. Every means of humane consideration for tho welfare of tho public lias been introduced, and special departments equipped with every device that will allow of speedy ami accurate diagnosis have been installed, so that no outside institution can legitimately compete. All these factors have brought the public to seek admission with every hope that the best thdt can be obtained will be found at Christchurch hospital. AVhilo this popularity is taxing our resources it must be a pride to your Board, as it is to the management, to know.that, no colonial hospital stands higher in the public esteem. I know of no colonial hospital that is so thoroughly equipped. Whereas such is the case, the unfortunate pity is that only a section of the public is, strictly speaking, eligible for admission. As one being in close‘touch with the desires of all sections of the sick public on the one hand, and tho medical profession on the other hand, I trust that vour Board will make an earnest endeavor to build a paying or private block at an early opportunity, thus settling some of the abuses of hospital practice that are so pressing on the gratuitous services of honorary medical staffs. Wc are all aware tho answer is finance. ’ ’