CONTROL OF HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1931, Page 6

CONTROL OF HOSPITALS

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN I ■ ■ U-<-- 3

FORMER DIRECTOR’S OPPOSITION.

TRIBUTE PAID PRESENT BOARDS.

“WOULD BE A RETROGRADE STEP.”

Objection to the proposal that tlie hospitals should be controlled by the medical profession was made by Dr. J. H. A. Valintine, formerly Director-Gen-eral of Health, in un address to busi-, ness men at Eltham yesterday. He thought it would be a retrograde step and would not be approved. . Th© medical men did excellent work, Dr. Valintine said, but many medical men disagreed with the idea and they did not desire to interfere in the present system of management, Dr, Valintine said the hospital boards were doing excellent work. . Dr. Valintine gave a brief outline of the history of hospitals in New Zealand and his experiences as an officer of health in New Zealand. He said he was the first medical officer of health registered in New Zealand and worked the Taranaki district from Mokau to Waverley. In those days he had to, ride to the various parts of the country. There were no telephones and many. amusing experiences were encountered. In 1907 he was appointed inspector-general of hospitals and was asked by Mr. George Kowlds (now Sir George), then Minister of Health, to draft a bill fonthe developopment and control of the hospitals. In 1908 the first hospital conference had been held, the speaker being'chairman. There had been many objectors to any change in the system and he had received rather a bad time in the chair. On the third day, however, a change had occurred and instead of being adverse to his proposals the delegates had become rather flattering towards them. The proposals were agreed to almost unanimously. New Zealand was to be divided into 20 hospital districts but litter U was made into 37 and that spoiled the Whole of Dr, Vajintiue’s policy. In drafting the bill, the doctor said, lie had received great assistance fruih the late Sir John Salmond, one of the most brilliant men New Zealand had produced, It had been diffiemt’ at first to start the system and persuade hospital boards to do anything, but they had changed and now they had hospitals in "New Zealand which had received the comniendatiqn of authorities of other lands. Dr, Valintine was rather afraid, however, that changes might be made which might not be beneficial. One of the revolutionary suggestions was that to put hospitals in the hands of the medical profession.