WAIKATO HOSPITAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 72, Issue 6241, 12 June 1946, Page 12

WAIKATO HOSPITAL

MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT NEEDS OUTLINED Attention to the necessity of increasing accommodation at the Waikato Hospital was drawn by the medical superintendent, Dr H. L. Gould, in his annual report to a meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board on Monday. Dr Gould safe! the most urgent needs were the nurses’ home and extension to the Campbell Johnstone ward and to the laundry. The Superintendent said that in view of the increase in out-patient attendances further extensions to the casualty department were- also very necessary. The building of the main five-storey block would give great relief in future, in that various types of cases could be segregated efficiently. The accommodation at the hospital was still very much overtaxed, the average number of patients increasing from 554.8 to 372.0. Ward 10 was still used for nurses’ accommodation. Figures submitted by Dr Gould showed that 7171 patients were admitted during the year ended March 31, compared with 6848 in the previous year. A total of 7757 patients received treatment, compared with ■ 7357 the previous year. Other figures were: Patients discharged cured, 4944 (4151), patients discharged relieved, 1537 (1895), patients discharged unrelieved, 375 (316), patients who died, 367 (409), deaths within 24 hours of admission, 66 (68). In-patients treated in the massage department totalled J3o', compared with 635 in the previous year, and out-patients 1521 (1689). Treatments given to 1430 out-patients totalled 40,878, compared with 12,833 and 44,441 respectively in the previous year.

Admissions to the Campbell-John-stone ward numbered 542. Dr Gould pointed out that an exceptional strain had been thrown on the Camp-bell-Johnstone ward through the closing of several private maternity hospitals. Referring to district nursing, the medical superintendent said that the appointment of a sister as district nurse would probably assist very materially in the work of the hospital. Patients living within a short radius of the hospital might on discharge have minor dressings, etc., carried out in their own homes by the district nurse. She would start her duties following the purchase of a car.

The doctor also mentioned the overcrowding at Rotorua Hospital, where accommodation was much below requirements. Little relief would be obtained until the new hospital was erected.

The total number of patients who received treatment at other hospitals in the board’s areas, with the figures for the previous year in parentheses, were as follows: Rotorua 3544 (3405), Te Kuiti 913 (852), Matamata 695 (612), Kawhia 65 (71), Huntly 218 (219). Taupo 78 (58) and Te Aroha 186.

Messrs S. C. B. Macky (Te Awamutu), and V. W. Simms (Otorohanga) were among those present.