MAY THEY ENTER?

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 22 November 1923, Page 7

MAY THEY ENTER?

DOCTORS AND THE HOSPITAL, THE REGULATIONS EMPHASISED Yesterday’s meeting, of the South Canterbury Hospital Boaul. unusually prolonged one ; a “j o e the subjects discussed was the vexe question of the relations be d local practitioners and the ’ which arose out of a deputation from the South Canterbury ■ Messrs L. M. Inglis C W Webber J. P. Steven and M. T. Reese Wiiltei on the Board as a deputation -iom the R.S.A. in support of a resolution passed by the Executive of that body that the Hospital Board be requested to set aside beds for soldier patients for observation and treatment bj their own medical advisers. The chairman (the Rev. T. W. Potts) welcomed the deputation, and assured the members °f . 1 that the coard was prepared, to give any request fro,m the R.S.A. its sympathetic consideration. .He appreciated their action in coming direct to the Board with any request or matter of complaint in connection v\itn hospital matters before taking it elsewhere. , Mr Inglis acted as spokesman, and at the outset assured the Board that the resolution passed was not by any means a reflection on Dr Parr, medical superintendent. He explained the regulations under which disabled returned soldiers had to go to a public hospital, and safid that in many cases these men had their own medical advisers who knew the medical history of such patients. He cited cases in which returned men had been sent to Christchurch and Dunedin, where they could get into touch with medical men who. knew their cases. He understood that there were at present two returned men in the Tmaru Hospital, though he believed there never had been more than four.

The chairman stated that there already was provision in the Board’s regulations concerning the subject matter of the resolution, , and he emphasised that all medical practitioners were at liberty at all times to visit any patient who had been admitted to the hospital. He read By-law 26, which stated: “ All medical practitioners practising in the district shall be free at all times to visit any patient whom they have sent into the hospital and' on such occasions

shall have the ordinary standing of consultants, but no foes shall be payable in respect of such visits or for any services performed by them, unless at the special request of the medical superintendent or his deputy, when the fees nominated under clause 25 shall be payable.”

By-law 27 stated: “ In special cases, of which the

medical superintendent shall be judge, any local practitioner may, rat his. own request, perform any operation or other services for patients he has sent in, but such eases shall be exceptional and based on advantage to the patient or, the practitioner’s special interest in the case. No fees shall be payable in ' respect of such services.” . , •

Dr Parr stated that any doctor could ring him up if he wished to see a patient, or a patient, if he expressed the wish, could have his own medical man come to the hospital by arrangement with him (Dr Parr). The chairman said he took ‘up the definite attitude that, any person was entitled to the services of the public hospital, and a patient could •also have his own doctor on arrangement with the medical superintendent.

Mr E. Macdonald (Fairliet remarked that the deputation was asking for something it already had. Mr IngHs ( said that was not exactly the position, but they had’ got some information which would be useful.

Mr Reese remarked that there appeared to be a very great deal of public ignorance in regard to the by-law quoted. The general impresc?op wnc that no medical practitioner was allowed into the hospital to treat any patients. The chairman stated that he had repeatedly made the position, known at the Board, and the Press had also made the regulation clear. No member of the Board and no medical practitioner could keep any;patient out of the hospital if he wanted to go in. Any doctor could follow his patient into the hospital by arrangement with the medical superintendent.

The chairman thereupon informed the deputation that the Board was always prepared to do its utmost for returned men— (hear, hear) —who might come into the hospital as patients; The deputation returned thanks and then withdrew. STRAINED RELATIONS. Arising out of the above dismission, Mrs W. H. Unwin raised the question of the relations, generally, between the Board and the medical practitioners regarding the hospital. She said that it was very desirable, on behalf of all concerned, that there should be much closer and more pleasant relationship between the medical men and the Board. The present conditions could not be. allowed to continue in the interests of the public, the hospital, and all concerned. She was satisfied that the medical men of the town felt sure that they could not go into the hospital to follow their patients up. It was suggested that a copy of the regulations should be sent to each medical practitioner in South Canterbury, attention being drawn to the provision outlined by the chairman. The Board’s secretary (Mr H. S. Russell) stated that copies of the by-laws were sen io the local branch of the British Medical Association, while representatives from the branch were associated with the Board’s sub-committee when the bylaws were oeing drafted. The chairman stated that the happiest relationships were certainly to be desired, and- were always best. So far as the Board was concerned there was no feeling in the matter whatever. He recalled the conferences held for the drafting of the regulations, and stated that Dr Parr, by his readiness to make concessions, had proved his willingness to co-operate with the local medical men.

Mrs Unwin suggested a round table conference to see if an amicable working arrangement could not be come to, and recalled the inestimable services the honorary medical staff had rendered.

A desultory discussion followed, in which the consensus of- opinion seemed to be that the Board had no feeling in regard to the medical practitioners, and every credit was given to tlie lion, medical staff for what had been done.

Mr G. Dash (Waimate) put the v/hole trouble down to the fact that some of the senior medical practitioners seemed to object to having to obtain the consent of Dr Parr, who might in a sense be a junior in length

of practice, in order to see patients at the hospital. He expressed the hope that such an idea would gradually he lived down, and that the pudlic would understand definitely that when they went Into the hospital they could ask Dr Parr when they wished their own medical men to see Parr, on being asked his position in the matter, explained the professional etiquette in regard to such questions. If a very junior doctor had a patient, and a senior doctor wished to consult or visit .mat patient, it was etiquette for the latter to ask permission, of the former to do so. It was the same position at the hospital. He was medical superintendent at the hospital, and he regarded the patients in tlie hospital as his patients, and if any other medical practitioner wished to do anvthlng for them, it was only right that he should be considered. It was only common courtesy to do SO. , The chairman quoted a case that had come under his notice in which a patient asked if he could have a vist from his own medical man. The chairman said he explained to the patient that he could do so if he chose, but later the invalid slated that, he had notified his doctor that he could see him at the hospital, but even then the medical practitioner caid he could not go t.o the hospital. The discussion then lapsed.