ST. HELEN’S HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1930, Page 8

ST. HELEN’S HOSPITALS

MINISTER ANSWERS CRITICISM. FUNCTION OF PUBLIC BOARDS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, November 13. The fact that St. Helen’s Hospital, Auckland, is full and booked up for two months ahead has led to much criticism, to which a reply was made by Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health. He said that it had never been the function oi St. Helen’s to provide accommodation, for all maternity cases, and it was unreasonable to suggest that there was anj failure by the department, because'more cases were now offering than the home was designed to acconunodate. < 'piig excess -of expenditure over income in 1930 in the seven St. Helen’s hospitals totalled £31,490.. The net cost per patient was as follows:—Auckland, £lO 18s • Christchurch, £5 18s.; Dunedin, £11; Gisborne, £ll 45.; Invercargill, £11; Wanganui, £l3 45.; Wellington, £8 165.; “average, £9 16s. Mr. Stallworthy added that it was generally admitted by hospital boards that provision for maternity was theii function, and a number of maternity hospitals were being administered bj the boards with excellent results.