RAPID EXPANSION

Southland Times, Issue 21073, 3 May 1930, Page 8

RAPID EXPANSION

HOSPITAL SERVICES MINISTER REVIEWS POSITION' INCREASE OF 25 PER CENT IN FIVE YEARS (Per United Press Association.) Palmerston North, May 2. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy to-day opened two. new wards in the Palmerston North Hospital to provide accommodation for 46 beds, which brings the total number of beds to 293 making it the sixth' largest general hospital in New Zealand, and nearly 5.4 beds per thousand of population, a proportion which is ahead of any district of similar or greater population. The Minister relerred to the expansion of hospital and allied services in the Dominion. In the comparatively short period of five years, from 1924-5 to 1928-9, hospital maintenance increased from £964,183 to £1,206,190, an increase of 25 per cent. These figures included direct expenditure only on provisions, surgery and dispensary, domestic and establishment, salaries and wages, miscellaneous maintenance of out patients’ departments and does not include interest sunk in land, building equipment or depreciation, which together were estimated to represent an annual figure of about £320,600. In the same period the annual numbers of in-patients under treatment increased from 65,250 to 87,888, an increase of 34.7 per cent. The increase in the number of in-patients as between 1927-28 and 1928-29 was 8,046. Out-patients increased from 39,896 to 73,952. During the five years the 1927-28 figure was 71,987. Despite this apparently extraordinary increase in the number of out-patients, it is of interest to note that the Dominion showed less than one out-patient to one inpatient, whilst in comparison, the United Kingdom had four and a-half to one. Ix>cal conditions, and in particular the fact that New Zealand had only a few large centres of population had of course a special bearing on this point. The aggregate days’ stay of in-patients of general hospitals during the year 1928-29 was no less than 1,653,633, including special hospitals such as infectious disease hospitals, maternity hospitals, consumptive sanatoria and several Health Department’s institutions. The aggregate day’s stay in the hospital was 22,195,095, an average of 1.5 hospital days per head of population. Administration of Hospitals.

The major function of Hospital Boards ana uosjuiul maiuitrumce constituted <0 per cent, ot the Wtal expenditure, but mere were other important functions to wnicn reference must be made, Administration ot inaour and outdoor relief which in recent years showed a consideraoie increase in cost, was probably the most difficult phase ot the board s work, particularly at the present time. Although indoor relief had not increased quite so appreciably (being £101),8<4 in 1928-29 as against £94,756 m 1924-25) the outdoor relief however in the same period increased from £76,190 to £134,864, this being accounted for by the existence of large scale unemployment which made its appearance in 1926. The total maintenance of hospital boards and Health Department’s institutions for the year 1928-29 was £1,671,295, the corresponding figure for the previous year being £1,593,001. Having regard however to the steadily growing popularity of public services resulting in their utilization by a wider economic section of the community and to the development of related services by the Department, itself, such as dental clinics, native nursing and medical services and assistance to the Plunket Society’s activities, it was desirable to view the subject from the aspect of the burden ■ of public funds. Levies on local bodies increased from £497,272 in 1924-25 to £675,238 in 192829, the estimated amount, for the year just closed being £688,728. Subsidies to Hospital Boards payable from consolidated funds totalled £546,106 in 1924-25 and £698,105 in 1928-29. Including other expenditure by the Department on its institutions and other related activities previously referred to, the total.burden on public, funds increased from £1,181,924 in 1924-25 to £1523 929 in 1928-29. The estimated amount for 1929-30 was £1,562,248, equivalent to £1 1/4 per head of population as against. 17/5 six years ago. The estimates for the current year present are being examined, but he was not in a position to project the amount, of the demands to be made. He expressed the hope that boards would co-operate with the Health Department in drawing the estimates as finely as possible, recognizing the constant need for economy.