MATERNITY HOSPITALS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 18 June 1924, Page 10

MATERNITY HOSPITALS

MORE FOR SOUTH CANTERBURY. INTERVIEW WITH REV. T. W. POTTS. In view of all that is being said at present concerning maternal mortality, a-representative of the ‘Herald’ waited on tne Rev. T. W. Potts (chairman oi the South Canterbury Hospital Board), yesterday, and asked him whether tho Board was taking any official cognisance of the matter, and whether it was proposed to cfo anything else. Mr Potts iaid that tne matter of providing more maternity homes for South Canterbury had been under consideration for some time, the sugges tion having been first made before the discussion on maternal mortality started. He went on to say:— “In connection with the Kelvin Commission’s report, which lias recently been made public, and so illuminating and searching in its revelations, i have been somewnat concerned by the statements made by the Minister in charge of hospitals, his officers and Dr. Truby King. It appears that New Zealand has laboured lor a considerable time under the stigma of having an inordinately high maternal mortality rate. I am not touched by any sense of scare. I need not enlarge on the various causes which give us this distressing result; the influence of puerperal sepsis’ in its ravages, is alone quite sufficient . justification lor the public through their various organisations to energetically take up a campaign for the provision of propeily equipped maternity hospitals in every centre of population throughout the Dominion. , , . “It would seem that the day of the private maternity hospital, run solely for the purpose, of gam, is rapidly, approaching extinction. The increasing restrictions and drastic requirements of the Health Department appear to bo making it almost impossible ior smaller maternity hospitals to carry on. Inc fees charged in private institutions are to-dav, particularly burdensome to other than those in affluent circumstances. I predict that in the near future, it will be necessary to again increase the fees charged, to cover ad ditional expenses incurred by those running these institutions. “The Director-General of Health, in a statement made at the opening of tho Geraldine maternity hospital, laid down the Department’s policy in no uncertain voice, and if wo are convinced that the welfare of our community is to a great extent involved in the precautions taken in connection with maternity crises, the sooner we put oui house in order, the better. “At the Timaru Hospital we have accommodation for a limited numbci of cases, but the use of that accommodation has so far been restricted to the needs of persons in more or les9 straightened circumstances. I have al ways held that all departments of the Institution should be open to the use of tho public, without any distinction as to financial standing, but, unfortunately, lack of accommodation and the shortage of means has made it necessary to carry on m a somewhat restricted wav. In this latter connection I refer particularly to the specialists’ and maternity departments. ' ‘lt is readily understood that specialists in the treatment of more ooscuro complaints do not reside in the sruallei entre.s, and it is found necessaiy in some instances for thoi patient to proceed to centres such as Christchurch or Dunedin for treatment. During the past two years (on two occasions), the Board considered , establishing a maternity hospital in Tiniaru, but opinion differed sufficiently at the Boaid table-to cause the matter-to be drop ped, though for myself. I am anxious to see something definite achieved. L ‘.Events whicii have- been happening recently have caused a feeling of dis* may in the minds of all thinking person's. We are not giving .the motners all the conveniences and safeguards which they have a right to expect in these days of advanced thought. Within the next year or two there will be a great effort made by the Government to make much fuller accommodation and provision in publicly-ownecl maternity hospitals, and it behoves the Smith Canterbury Hospital Board to be in the van of a progressive movement. “At the next meeting of the Hospi tal Board, a proposal to modernise tne present maternity accommodation at teh Tirnarn Hospital, will be consider ed, and althougn the amount involved will not be considerable, it is thought that this accommodation will always be inquired no matter what steps are taken otherwise to provide for tho public at large. I intend bringing before members of the Hospital Board, at an early date, my views on this matter, supported as they arc, by statements emanating from heads ot the Health Department and leading members ot the medical profession throughout New Zealand. In this matter, tho Board lias already anticipated the Kelvin re port by providing a maternity hospital -at Fan-lie, and another at Geraldine, and by tentative discussions between Dr Yalintine and myself- during the •past two years. Personally, my policy m this matter is that the Board should provide in tho borough of Tirnarn (which is the principal centro of population in the district), a modern maternity hospital capable of accommodating all reasonable! calls; that this maternity hospital should be owned and managed bv the Board, but not bo connected with any existing institution. I would have it placed on an independent site favourably situated as to outlook, orientation and convenience ot access, the control to be in the hands of a certificated midwife with a trained staff, to meet the revised require ments of the Health Department; patients to make their own arrangements as they do at present in any privately-owned institution for services of their personal medical attendant, and the Board to fix a fee for daily accommodation, commensurate with the services rendered. I am quite aware that publicly-owned institutions labour at a disadvantage when the question of cash profit is involved, but on the other hand the benefits derived by patients from such an institution, run on wholesome lines, would be considerable. With the lowest possible maintenance fee charged, there would be a return in services rendered which would far outweigh any consideration of profit or loss. ‘•The Board at present have mater nity hospitals in Fairlic and Geraldine. Other parts ot the district should bo similarly provided for, but the most pressing need 1 have dealt with in tho foregoing remarks. I do not intend to allow the Board’s efforts to stop at Timaru. I would press further afield, until adequate provision is made for the whole district.’-’