HOSPITAL BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 19575, 12 June 1925, Page 8

HOSPITAL BOARD

REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCE. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Southland Hospital Board was held yesterday, there being present: Mr J. Matheson (Chairman), Misses H. L. Birss and L. Dryburgh, and Messrs H. E. Niven, E. Bowmar, T. Fraser, C. Robertson, J. Fleming, W. Clark and J. W. Miller. CORRESPON DENCE. The Acting Director-General of Health wrote stating that he had received a further letter from the Arrow District Medical Association and from Dr Ferguson. The point seemed to be as to what arrangements should be made for providing an adequate medical service for this district. I shall be glad to know what the views of the Board were from this standpoint, apart from the question as to the retention of Dr Ferguson's services. It was decided to reply to the effect that seeing that the district already had a medical officer, the Board had no recommendation to make. Donations of £33 and £lO were received from the Southland Utility Poultry Club and the Southland Racing Club respec ' lively, the first mentioned being a donation to the Board’s funds, and the second towards the ambulance. With reference to the communication from the Secretary of the Wakatipu Golf Club regarding the Frankton Flats, it was decided to hold the matter over till the next meeting, the Secretary to inquire from the Lands Department re the Board’s lease. "I think we should be able to meet these people,” observed the Chairman. It was decided to send forward the Board’s subscription of £2B to the Hospital Board’s Association. COMMITTEE REPORTS. The following reports were adopted:—--—Executive Committee.— There were present: Mr J. Matheson (Chairman), Misses Birss and Dryburgh, Messrs Bowmar, Clark, Fleming, Fraser, McDougall, Miller, Niven and Robertson. (1) The Committee recommend that financial grants for the current year be made to the following institutions—Victoria Home £25, In’gill Sixpenny Clothing Club £25, Gore Sixpenny Clothing Club £5; (2) That the resignations of Night Sister Martin and Staff-Nurse I. Smith be accepted, and Staff-Nurse Leebody be appointed to the former position; (3) That Probationers Parkin, G. Given, A. Davidson, C. Ward and M. Irwin be appointed to the permanent nursing staff for training; (4) That the cutting-up of grass plots at Kew Sanatorium by motor-cars and tradesmen’s carts be left in the hands of the Chairman with power to act; (5) That the heating of patients’ dining-room at the same institution be left in the hands of the Chairman and Secretary’ to report; (6) That list of eastern district debtors for maintenance in Board's institutions be handed to Messrs Smith and Dolamore, Gore, for collection; (7) That the different medical men in Southland who are owing the Board for X-ray and laboratory fees be again written to by the Secretary, and in the event of no satisfactory’ settlement being arrived at by next Board meeting, the Committee recommends that the accounts be placed in the hands of the Board’s solicitors; (8) A number of notifications from the Otago, Wellington, South Canterbury, Wairoa and Wallace Hospital Boards regarding admission of Southland residents to these Boards’ institutions were referred to the Secretary to look into and report as to the Southland Board’s liability; (9) Application by the Probation Officer to have an elderly man at present on remand admitted to Lome Home was considered, the Committee being of the opinion that the individual mentioned is not a suitable case for the Board’s institution; (10) Three fresh applications for assistance were received, and the action of the Chairman and Secretary in granting temporary help to two of these cases was approved, while the third case was left in the same hands to have inquiries made and with power to act; (11) One recipient in receipt of 10/- per week had her allowance increased to 25/-, while recipients in receipt of 20/-, 10/- and 8/- per week were struck off the list. One recipient in receipt of 20/- per week to be given three months’ notice of discontinuation of same; (13) Secretary reported that two boys from Lorne Farm had been placed in situations during the month, and that the weekly expenditure on outdoor relief was £3l 7/6 as against £2O 10/- for the corresponding period last year. —Secretary’s Report.—Lorne Hospital—The necessary alterations providing for more accommodation for patients on the ground floor, and better quarters for the nursing staff, have been carried out at this institution, although I understand the male patients have not yet been shifted into their new quarters. Kew Hospital—A number of matters at this institution, including sinking of well, are still under consideration, the difficulty with regard to the latter work being the securing of the necessary concrete cylinders lor lining the well. Gore Hospital—W’ith the Chairman and Architect, I visited this institution since last meeting, and although the renovating work is not finished, the plaster work has all been repaired and the hot water heating system seems now to be working satisfactorily. Matron Ross complained about the lack of convenience for drying clothes during the ' winter months, and it will be necessary for ( the Board at an early date to consider the adopting of some better method for carrying out this work. With a steam boiler at the institution it will be advisable to take into consideration the equipping of the laundry with some kind of machinery at an early date. While at Gore, the Chairman and I discussed with Dr Rogers and Matron Ross the matter of the nursing staff and the suggestion that Gore Hospital should train its own nurses. After considering the question in all its bearings, and bearing in the complete training and experience this Board’s nurses at present receive through working in its different institutions, we are of the opinion that the change suggested would not make it any easier for the Board to obtain nurses than is the case at present, apart from the restricted training, those wholly employed in the Gore Hospital would receive, as compared with the allround training and experience that is now available to all nurses in the Board’s service. Drapery Supplies.—Since last meeting, prices have been received from various wholesale firms for the supply of the drapery requirements of the Board’s different institutions for the ensuing twelve months. With the Chairman the various tenders have been carefully scrutinised, and at present the Matron of the Southland Hospital is checking the different samples submitted with a view to making a recommendation to this office for submission to the Board. New Southland Hospital, Kew—l beg to submit herewith 35 sheets of drawings for the execution of the above-named institution, and to request that, in accordance with the Hospital Department’s regulations, your Board will pass a formal resolution adopting the same. The specification I also submit with same and for the same reason. We still have some details to add and some revision, but as these are of a purely technical nature, it would appear unnecessary to delay another month for same. With your Board’s formal approval it is then necessary to submit the drawings and specification finally to the Department and to obtain the Minister’s formal consent to tendering and the signature on the drawings of the Director-General of Health. Your Board has already agreed to my proceeding to Wellington for this purpose, that we may expedite matters and answer any questions at first hand that may arise. I beg to advise also that the Secretary be allowed to accompany me for, judging by former experience, much delay and correspondence will be avoided if he is at hand to immediately meet on your Board’s behalf contentions I cannot well argue. In specifying the contract I have certain provisions that concern your Board

immediately, since they commit you to do certain things for the contractor at the outset. These are set forth on the first three pages, and are as follows— Access to Site —I suggest that you immediately gravel a roadway in from Kew road to the main building on the tract to be eventually followed by your main drive. Also that you agree to the exit road I suggest from the sand deposits. This will obviate the cutting-up of the site by confining the builder to these routes. Area for Builder—That the area for the use of the contractor be immediately defined, and the present wire fences be rearranged to such boundaries. This I could arrange with Mr Fleming and the Chairman and yourself. Well—That a well be sunk ready on the site of the recent successful bore, for the supply of water to the builder. Sand—That we use for building purposes the sand deposits on your site at tlje positions already arranged with your Committee. The sand fillings below certain concrete basement floors would also be taken from the same place. Your Board would strip the area in advance. Stripping—That your Board has the immediate site stripped of its surface soil over the area only that is to be covered by the new buildings, and that this be done in advance. Siding—l have seen the Railway Engineer and suggested that it shall be optional to the builder to have a siding made right up to the buildings from the Bluff line at Kew, the builder to pay all costs to the Railway Department, and to use his discretion as to having it or not. If announced beforehand, I am of opinion that this would mean a material saving on the undertaking by saving much double handling and cut-ting-up of roads and property. The Engineer gave me a sympathetic hearing and promised to write his Chief Office immediately. I expect his reply any day. It will be necessary for your Board to consent to this branch going temporarily over your property. Electric Current. —This will be available to the builder from Kew road, that being the voltage required for machinery on the site. It will be necessary, however, to move, or rather to divert, the present line opposite the Sanatorium, to make way for the Home, and this should be done beforehand at your cost. Passing of Work —I consider it will ease the finance of the contractor and thereby effect a saving in their charges to your Board, if we provide for passing the various main divisions of the buildings as they reach completion. Otherwise in accordance with the Workers’ Lien Acts we would have to hold back some £38,000 for one month after the completion of the whole structure. Also by passing the buildings as they reach completion, we would enable and encourage the builder to get as many trades as possible working there early and following on the heels of one another. I have arranged accordingly. Quantities and Tendering—Having the consent of your Board and of the Minister, our next step is to get prints made of the drawings, the first set of copies into the hands of the Quantity Surveyor, and while he gets off his bill of quantities we complete five other sets for tendering purposes. I propose tendering in Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and having copies available for the use of any from Timaru or elsewhere. Judging by our experience with Waipiata, it will be best to control all from my office, leaving all builders to apply to me direct. I anticipate a brisk demand. The time is favourable. So far as I can see, it will be from siw to eight weeks before Messrs George will be ready with the quantities, and we with the copies. All but two sheets of drawings are traced, and we will lose no time. Supplementary Report —Further to my letter to you of even date reporting on the above proposed work, I beg to add the following:— Further Contracts—l have left out of the builder’s contract the following—Electric wiring, telephone inter-communication, special sanitary fittings, mechanical equipment. The electric wiring I estimate at £2OOO, and advise making it a separate contract to be shortly let after the main contract. The telephones you have already considerable experience of, and I presume you would arrange with the Government Department. The special fittings would include those now in old Southland Hospital. The rest would be best indented by yourselves through a local merchant. The same applies to sterilisers, etc. The mechanical equipment would include the hot water calorifiers, vacuum steam heating plant and installation, boilers, economiser, water softener, laundry machinery. I am unable to go closely into these matters till we have arranged for the Consulting Engineer. He should be appointed immediately after we let the building contract, as we must work together to avoid alterations for pipe runs, etc. I have made all possible preliminary arrangements. The plans as submitted were formally adopted, and it was decided that the Secretary should accompany the Architect to Wellington to confer with the Department. CONFERENCE DELEGATES’ REPORT. Following is the delegates’ report of the Conference of Hospital Boards, held at Auckland on May 27, 28, and 29, 1925: The first Conference under the auspices of the newly-appointed Hospital Boards’ Association was opened at Auckland Hospital on Wednesday, May 27. Mr Wm. Wallace, Chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board and the Association, presided over the gathering, and nearly eighty delegates from different parts of the Dominion were present. The first portion of the proceedings was an address by the Chairman, but owing to the train from Wellington being nearly two hours late, your delegates did not hear the first portion of it. The speaker gave it as the opinion of himself and many others who had given consideration to the question, that the time had arrived in connection with our Dominion Hospital system when the wards of our public hospitals should be open to every person requiring treatment, and that the Boards in their institutions should provide for all classes of individuals either in the present or in specially-built wards. That the honorary medical staffs of our hospitals should be replaced with stipendiary officers. He approved of patients in our hospitals having the attention of their own medical men, but considered that the fees charged for such service should be controlled by the Hospital Boards concerned, which should have full administrative control of the institution. Hospital Boards’ Association—The rules of the Association, as previously submitted to Board, were adopted with the following alterations: — Addition to Rule 3 —(a) Any Board may cease to be a member of the Association upon giving twelve months’ notice of its intention to discontinue membership, but is liable for its subscription for the period of twelve months from the date of giving such notice, provided that it shall not be called upon to pay any higher rate than that ruling at the date such notice is given. Note: Your Board’s amendment that three months’ notice only be given was defeated by a large majority. Subscription—This was fixed at a sum not exceeding one-fifteenth per cent, of each Board’s maintenance requirements for the preceding year. Voting—Each Board shall be entitled to one vote for every 50,000 of its population x»r part thereof. Executive —The following Executive was elected:—President, Mr W. Wallace, Auckland. Vice-Presidents —Mr C. M. Luke, Wellington; Mr H. J. Ottley, Christchurch; Mr W. E. S. Knight, Otago. Committee — Mr R. T. Wrathall, Mangonui; Mr McCarroll, Kaipara; Mr J. B. Andrew, Hawke’s Bay; Mr F. Gillanders, Hawera; Mr Chas. Reid, Ashburton. Secretary and Auditor —The above Executive met on Friday, 29th ultimo, and appointed Mr A. C. Von Keisenberg, Inspecting Accountant of the Department of Health, Secretary and Treasurer for the Association, and Mr Judd, of Wellington, Auditor.

Next Conference—lt was decided that the next Conference be held in Dunedin, in March, 1926. A large number of remits were discussed by the Conference, and dealt with as follows : Section 72—(a) Recommended by the Association that Section 72 of the Hospitals Act. be repealed, and that it be a recommendation to the Department “That the Boards of the four chief centres be paid an extra subsidy to cover the extra cost of treating patients from outside districts.” (c) That in the opinion of the Association all hospitals should be available to all who claim admission, and that all the medical practitioner should be concerned with is whether the physical condition of the patient is such as to make him a fit. subject for hospital treatment and whether he would benefit thereby. (e) That Hospital Boards be recommended to adopt the suggestion of the Director-General of Health that, the honorary medical staff be remunerated for whole or part-time services. (d) A recommendation of the Association that Hospital Boards should raise their hospital maintenance fees to at least 15/- per day was rejected by Conference. Several supplementary remits were sub•knitted, the following being adopted:— (a) That the Hospital Boards’ Association should consider the question of affiliation with the British and American Hospitals Association. (b) That Hospital Boards should be permitted to take money on deposit, and that Boards should be allowed to invest balances in loan Accounts with such local authorities as might be authorised to receive same. Also that Hospital Board debentures should be placed on the list of Trustee securities under the Act. Hospital Medical Services—Drs Hardie Neil and Carrick Robertson, on behalf of the Auckland Division of the British Medical Association, addressed the Conference on the attitude of medical practitioners towards hospital administration, giving it as their opinion that instead of providing private wards in our public hospitals the latter should be really community institutions, where all sick people should be admitted for treatment, and where the different medical men of the district would be able to treat their patients under the best conditions and with the minimum of time and labour as compared with the attendance of patients in their private homes, as is the recognised practice at present. The opinion was also expressed that this proposed alteration of the medical service in most of our public hospitals could be carried out immediately without very much requiring to be done in the way of building alterations, and that the question of fees for such medical service could be easily arranged as between the patient and his medical attendant. The Conference, while giving the addresses of the two medical men concerned a patient and attentive hearing, were of the opinion that if anything of the nature suggested should be adopted, medical fees should be under the direct control of the Hospital Board concerned. Social Service—A large number of remits were unanimously adopted by the Conference in the direction of more adequately punishing wife deserters and asking that the law be amended so that a portion of their wages should be paid to their dependents from the date of their committal to prison, and more drastic punishment of men who allow their maintenance orders to get into arrears. A remit was adopted asking the Government to have stricter examination of immigrants, so that they will not become a charge on the rates of this Dominion. Invalidity Pensions —Conference re-af-firmed the desirability of the Government granting invalidity pensions to bread-win-ners who may be laid aside with protracted illnesses. Hospital Fees—A Conference of Hospital Board Secretaries was held to discuss the best method of collecting hospital mainten-

ance fees, and a remit submitted to Conference suggesting that Boards might consider the advisability of entering into agreements with Friendly Societies whereby members of the latter organisations requiring hospital treatment might obtain same at. a reduced fee on condition that the Lodges guarantee the payments to the Hospital Boards. Conclusion—The Chairman and members of the Auckland Hospital Board did everything in their power to make the brief stay of the delegates in their fine city a pleasant one. On the Thursday night, Mr Allsopp, the Auckland Board’s architect, delivered a lantern lecture on Hospital building and construction, the result largely of his recent visit to different parts of Britain, Europe and America, in search of the latest and best, ideas of hospital construction. On Friday the delegates were shown over the Auckland Hospital buildings, new Infirmary buildings, beside the Old People’s Home at Epsom, and in the afternoon were present at the official opening by Sir Maui Pomare, Minister of Health, of the new Nurses’ Home at Auckland Hospital, a palatial building of some five stories with accommodation for about 300 nurses, with tennis court on the roof, swimming pool in the basement, and erected at a cost of some £48,000. In due course a full report of the Conference will be submitted to the different Hospital Boards. J. S. A. McDOUGALL, T. PRYDE, Delegates. The report was received and the delegates (Messrs J. S. A. McDougall and T. Pryde) were thanked for their reports.