HOSPITAL BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 20537, 13 July 1928, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD

monthly meeting. STATISTICS AND REPORTS. There w'ere present at the ordinary monthly meeting of the Southland Hospital Board yesterday Mr John Matheson (chair), Miss Birss and Messrs E. Bowmar, G. Wraytt, H. E. Niven, W. Norman, C. Robertson, J. W. Miller, T. Rhodes, J. S. A. McDougall and W. Clark. The medical superintendent of the Waipiata Sanatorium advised that two Southland patients had been discharged with the disease arrested. The secretary of the Waipiata Sanatorium Committee advised that the Director-Gene-ral of Health had approved of the committee’s levy for capital expenditure as previously advised on the understanding that if any of the works outlined in the estimates through delay or other causes are not proceeded with the committee will not call upon the Hospital Boards to pay the whole aijiount levied for capital expenditure for the current year. COST OF BEDS RISING. The secretary tabled a report showing the figures and cost per occupied bed at the various institutions of the board for the year 1928 as compared with 1927. The cost per bed shows an increase in all cases save Lorne Infirmary which became an independent institution in August 1927. The detailed figures were, 1928 appearing first: Institution Patients Occupied Aver. Treated beds per cost per Day. Occupied

HOSPITAL STATISTICS. The medical superintendents of the various hospitals submitted statistical reports for June. At the Southland Hospital 85 patients remained on May 31, 126 were admitted during June, 108 discharged, 5 had died and 98 remained on June 30. At Kew 14 patients remained on May 31, 7 were admitted during June, 1 was discharged, 1 had died and 21 remained on June 30.

At Gore 24 patients remained on June 1, 28 were admitted during June, 26 were discharged, 2 had died and 24 remained on July 1. At Queenstown 8 patients remained on June 1, 4 were admitted during the month, 6 were discharged, 1 had died and 5 remained on July 1. At Lorne Infirmary 57 inmates remained on June 1, 4 were admitted during the month, 2 were discharged during June, 1 had died and 52 remained on July 1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The executive committee’s report was adopted as follows:

The committee reports having received a deputation from the trustees of the United Friendly Societies regarding an agreement for hospital maintenance of members of the different lodges. The deputation outlined its proposals, and consideration of same, in conjunction with the recommendations made by the Hospital Boards’ Association, was held over until next meeting.. On the recommendation of the matron, Southland Hospital, probationers J. Mcßae and A. O’Hagan were placed on the permanent nursing staff. The resignations of Sister McNamara and Nurse McCarthy were accepted. The request of Staff Nurse Strachan to leave to take up missionary work in South America prior to the completion of her four years’ term agreed to. Staff Nurse Varcoe was appointed junior sister as from July 1. The committee recommends that a grant of £25 be made to the Victoria Home Committee. That the action of the St. John Ambulance Brigade be approved in declining to provide without charge stretcher bearers for the transport of patients to a private hospital in Invercargill. That the secretary’s action be approved in arranging for radium treatment in Dunedin Hospital for a Southland resident, and special treatment for a patient in Queen Mary Hospital, Hamner, for one month; also in the matter of the payment of the funeral expenses of an indigent person who died during the month. The committee reports that almost exclusively the business for consideration was in connection with applications for relief occasioned through lack of employment of bread-winners. Of the 23 new applications since the previous meeting 19 were attributable to unemployment. There were dealt with in various ways by the committee, in most cases the secretary’s action being approved in having these men brought in touch with the Labour Department for employment. As the committee was informed that in some of these cases the relief work done by these men is only measured up and paid for monthly, the secretary was directed to get in touch with the Public Works Department with a view to some advance being made to dependants of these workers to enable them being provided for without the board being called upon to do so. The committee reports having reviewed the circumstances of 24 other recipients of aid, two of whom were struck off the list, and in the other cases the assistance was continued according to the individual circumstances. The secretary reported that the weekly expenditure on outdoor relief in June was £49 13/- as against £4l 1/- in June 1927.

Bed. £ Southland Hos. 1249 93.35 179.2 Southland Hos. 1194 105.94 161.1 Gore Hospital . 491 24.56 196 Gore Hospital • 489 27.39 177 Lake CountyHospital .. . 94 10.27 212 Lake County Hospital .. . 100 8.68 261.8 Kew Hospital . 104 16.73 228.1 Kew Hospital . 58 14.98 192.8 Lumsden Hos. . 30 1.25 391.2 Lumsden Hos. . 33 1.28 331.5 X Lome Infirmary .. .. 84 38.57 102.9 X Lome Infirmary .. .. 31 18.38 133.9 Waipiata Sanatorium .. .. 167 80.68 135.91 Waipiata Sanatorium .. .. 134 76.5 139.43