ECONOMY IN HOSPITALS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1932, Page 7

ECONOMY IN HOSPITALS

AMALGAMATION OF, BOARDS HOUSE DISCUSSES THE BILL COUNTRY . DISTRICTS’ FEAR SECOND READING PASSED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night Moving the second reading of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day, the Hon. J. A. Young said the measure was designed to make further provision for the amalgamation of small hospital districts. Amalgamation could not take place at present unless by the mutual consent of the boards concerned, or by legislation. The Bill brought hospital boards into line with the law relating to counties and municipalities. Mr. M. J. Savage (Lab., Auckland West) said there was a tendency to-day to minimise rather than increase the services, and for that reason one was entitled to utter a warning against the danger that amalgamation might mean, the cutting out of country hospitals and institutions or services given to country districts. Commenting on the clause relating to matemitj' services, Mr. Savage said it appeared the Government was endeavouring to transfer all responsibility from the State to hospital boards. Mr. W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central) appealed to the Minister to give effect to the promise which he said had been made by the United Government that a representative of the inmates would be appointed to the board controlling the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. . jMr. J. Bitchener (C 0. Waitaki) said he hoped the interests of the country districts would not be prejudiced by the passage of the Bill. Mr. P. Fraser (Lab A Wellington Central) said the Bill took away powers which rightly belonged to Parliament. He considered the measure should be sent to the Health Committed SO that its full implications could be thoroughly considered. While the Hospital Boards’ Association might have had an opportunity of examining some of the proposals the public was very much concerned, particularly people in the coun- ; try areas. Representatives of the smaller hospital boards should have an opportunity of placing their views, not before a commission, but before the House. He objected to the principle of people in the country districts being deprived of hospitals without Parliament being consulted. CONCERN IN THE COUNTRY.

Mr. A. M. Samuel (Co., Thames) said country hospital boards were very concerned about the Bill which, he considered, would confer autocratic powers upon a Government official in the direction of hospital administration. He agreed with Mr. Fraser that the Bill should go to the Health Committee. He did not think it would be wise to appoint one-man commissions. Members with a knowledge of local conditions should be on all commissions. Mr. K. S. Williams (Co., Bay of Plenty) said he hoped the country districts would be given every facility to submit evidence before any decision to close hospitals wes reached b?' the commission. Mr. J. O’Brien (Lab., Westland) stressed the necessity for reasonable medical aid in mining an>. sawmilllnr districts. Mr. S. G. Smith (Co., New Pr mouth supported the Bill which, he suggestea might well go further He invited the Minister to consider the advisability of proposing to the Cabinet that the measure should make provision for a wider investigation into the whole question of hospital administration. The country was faced with a fall in the national income, and he advocated an. investigation, not at Wellington where the evidence would be limited practically to departmental heads, but in the districts themselves with a view to maintaining hospital efficiency on one hand and effecting a greater reduction of expenditure on the other. He pointed out that there should be scope for economy when it was realised there were 45 hospital boards serving a population of only one , and a-half millions. Replying to the debate, Mr. Young said he did not believe in placing economy first. Efficiency was the first consideration, and once a high standard of efficiency was attained economy would automatically follow. The Bill was read a second time.