PATIENTS INCREASE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1935, Page 7

PATIENTS INCREASE

HAWERA HOSPITAL YEAR. ANNUAL MEETING OF BOARD. An increase in the number of patients treated during the year was reported on at the annual meeting yesterday of the Hawera Hospital Board by the medical-’ superintendent, Dr. J. Cairney. The number of patients treated in the year, he said, was 1128, as against 1087 last year and 1082 in the previous year. The average individual patients’ stay at the hospital was shorter than in previous years, being 20.7 days as against 20.8 last year and 21.8 the year before. Those present were Messrs. J. S. McKay (chairman), T. A. Winks, A. E. Gifford, W. G. Simpson, S. J. Bennett, E. A. Washer, A. L. Campbell, A. G. Larcom, I. J. Bridger and F. Gillanders.' In his ordinary report Dr. Cairney said that the number of patients remaining at the end of February was 7G. During March 92 were admitted and 96 discharged, leaving' 72 at the end of March. The daily average of occupied beds for March was 73.5, and for the year.. 61.5, compared with 58.1 last year and 60.0 the year before. The daily average _of occupied beds to each of the nursing staff was 2.25. The X-ray cases dealt with were 24 hospital’ and 10 private cases. In the physio-therapeutic department, 19 patients remained at the end of the month'. 14 were admitted and 18 discharged and the patients still receiving treatment numbered 15. The number of treatments given during the month was 298, an average of 12.7 a day. The outpatients during the month were 119 and they received a total of 380 treatments. The matron, • Miss C. Hunter, reported that Sister McMillan began duty in ward one on March 26. Gifts of an air ring for hospital use and an upholstered chair for the nurses had been received. : Two geese had been received for the nursing staff. Mr. P. Rastall, master, reported that 20 men remained at the Old People’s Home, one having died in hospital and another having left of his own accord. Two men, neither an old-age pensioner, had been admitted to the home. Gifts from Mr. H. S. Elliott of pictorial papers and from the Plunket Society of pies had been received. The engineer, Mr. Martin Smith, reported that an increase in the coal consumption this year, compared with the previous year, was due to the exceptionally long spell of cold weather, and also to the isolation block having been steam heated. A number of other rooms had been heated that had never had proper heating before. The application of Miss Mildred K. Appleton, Opotiki, for training • was placed on the waiting list.