HOSPITAL FEES INCREASED

Southland Times, Issue 23693, 16 December 1938, Page 6

HOSPITAL FEES INCREASED

REACTION TO RISING COSTS CHARGES BY NORTHERN BOARDS What he termed the inevitable reaction to the general increase in the cost of hospital maintenance was commented upon by the chairman of the Southland Hospital Board (Mr T. Golden) at the board’s meeting yesterday. The subject was introduced in letters from the Auckland Board, advising the board of the increase in charges for the treatment of patients from outside districts, and from the Palmerston North Board, announcing an increase in the daily charge for the maintenance of patients in the Otaki sanatorium. , “This board after investigating the financial position of the sanatorium account at the end of the half-year has found it necessary to make an increase in the sanatorium charges,” wrote the managing secretary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. Because of the increased costs, domestic staff award and other things, the institution cannot be maintained within the limits of the present fee. Consequently as from November 1 the fee has been raised to 11/- a day.” . ~ j u j i The letter from the Auckland board re “At a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board the following resolution was passed: ‘That notice be given to all other boards that from January 1, 1939, the charge for treatment of cases from their districts in the Auckland Hospital will be 15/- a day for both adults and children.’ ” “We cannot have rising hospital costs without a corresponding rise in hospital fees,” said the chairman. “It was inevitable.” The board decided that patieints in the Southland Hospital from other board districts be charged the same fees as Southland patients were charged by other boards. The fees charged by the Southland Board are 12/- a day for adults and 6/for children at the Kew Hospital, and 7/- a day for patients at the Waipiata, sanatorium.