THE STRATFORD HOSPITAL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 19, 17 January 1929, Page 4

THE STRATFORD HOSPITAL

. EXTENSION NEEDED. , '.^ BOARD MEMBERS MEET THE J INSPECTOR-GENERAL.. Members of the Stratford Hospital B/oard met' at the hospital this morning for the purpose oE cossulting with the Inspector General of Hospitals (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) in reference to extended accommodation at the insttatikm which the Board; holds to he necessary. The whol* ■ posittion was thoroughly discussed and at the request of Dr.. Valintine, the Board's architect (Mr J. I>. Healy) will submit to the Department a rough plan of proposed additions. ' After Dr. Valintine had inspected the building a conference wag, held, A STRENUOUS TIME. Mr W. L. Kennedy, chairman, -.pt the Board, said that during the past twelve months the hospital had had a strenuous time. The work was slackening off a little now, bufc it had been found that the accon*modation was not sufficient for' the number of patients coming in. Taking an average from the number" of patients treated in the past nine months, 700 patients would be dealt with for the present year, as against 571 in the previou s year. If the increase continued, some enlargement would be required, but the Board was not sure what form this should . take, and therefore they would ba pleased to have Dr. Valintine's help in coming to a decision. POPULATION OUT EAST. The secretary oi the Board, (Air I. H. ifeun) niunuonwi &>* .or seven nunaieu pcopie living at, Taugarakau in coiukjcluhi wiuu. the railway wpiKs. Ixuiebtj ymyut were only resident temporarily, bu v wouia probably D« tuere, xor lour y*sar». or bo. 'jlwq coal,' mwes. were albo being developed. A s time wen£ on the railway; work would get turther. irom Stratford, but it beemed a certainty that the People would t&X cott V> V> i tins hospital, as it was a long way round to Ilaumarunui, Mr K'. V Kay said the Board would have, 'to consider condition* arising from the building o£ the »> w railway station. When the. work was begun a large number of men would no be employed; as:the station, would then become a June-, tion.. ~ - j i-> '•' HOSPITALS MORE POPULAR. ]>r Valintine stated he had not anticipated that there would be * demand from the Board for increase* accommodation for "some time to come, but nevertheless He was not* altogether surprised. It might > thought that a hospital of 6Q beds would suffice for a population such as Stratford had. Thi 8 would be so, [ accepting the ratio of. 3V beds per thousand of population, but with the increased public confidence in the hospitals it was necessary to work on •V ratio of five beds per thousand.. That ratio would entitle Stratford to a 50-bed hospital, which the Board now had. ) Dr Valintine said there was no doubt more accommodation was required The Board's architect should submit to the, Department a rough plan of the proposed additions. | Mr J. I>. Healv CJ*6 Board's architect)" said additions to the men's and women's wards would give eighteen extra beds. This would be the costly method of extension...,. Br.'Valintine said another way would be. to have a second storey.