MATERNITY WARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 19 June 1925, Page 6

MATERNITY WARD.

AT TIMARU HOSPITAL. QUESTION OF FEES, At Wednesday’s meeting of tlie South Canterbury Hospital Board, a deputation, consisting of Mrs B. H. Low, M.A., Mrs J. P. Newman, Mrs Gillespie and Mrs Horwoll, waited on tho Board and asked- for the appointment of a maternity district Nurse, and a reduction in the maternity ward fees at Timaru Hospital from £4 4s per week to £3 3s, or lower, if possible. Mrs Low represented tho .Women's Christian Temperance Union, Mrs Gillespie and Mrs Horwell the Timaru Women Citizens’ Association, and Mrs Newman, tho Timaru Plunkot Society. Incidentally the deputation made several complimentary references to the present policy and work of the Board. Mrs Low, who was tho first speaker, dealt specially with the appointment of a district maternity nurse, pointing out how useful sho would bo in the homes where sho was needed. Sho also spoke of tho necessity for reducing tho maternity ward fees at tho Public Hospital. Mrs Gillespie, Mrs Horwell and Mrs Newman dealt specially with the question of reducing tho maternity ward fees. Mr E. Hardcastle inquired why the deputation considered this matter such a serious one in Timaru, when in tlio country maternity cases paid £4 4s a week plus the doctor’s charge. In Timaru Hospital tho £4 4s covered everything. No complaint was made in the country where tho doctor’s fee in addition to £4 4s a week was paid. Mrs F'. A. Raymond inquii-ed whether the deputation had come into contact with any actual case of complaint. The reply was in the negative, but tho deputation said they thought that in a wealthy community like this the Board might extend its generosity to tlio mothers. Tho deputation:_ further said that they wore influenced'in making their request by the knowledge that the charge was lower in other .hospitals than in the Timaru Hospital. | It was only 30s per week at St. Helen’s Maternity Hospital, and in Dunedin it’ was much lower than Timaru. In fact Timaru Hospital stood alone in this charge. The chairman (Rev. T. W. Potts) 6aid that St. Helen’s. Hospital was a Government Institution, and primarily a place for training maternity nurses. The charge at Dunedin was low because there, provision was only made for indigent cases. At Timaru Hospital indigent cases were provided for, but the wal'd at £4 4s per week wa3 for those who could afford to pay. Mr Hardcastle asked the deputation if they did not think that by cheapening tho ward they would cause it to be looked upon as for poor people only, and thus cause many people who would otherwise use it, to deprive themselves of its benefit?

The deputation said they did not think lowering the charge would have that effect. Mrs Newman adding that tlio mothers who were well off financially, would stop at homo for treatment in any ease. The public hospital was meant for the poorer people, and the deputation felt very strongly that mothers should have the full benefit of it nt the minimum cost.

Mrs Raymond said that she moved about among poor people to a great extent,_ and she had not heard of one complaint against the present charge. Tho charge did not bear harshly on anyone, as those who could not afford to pay were not pressed for payment. But people who could afford to pay should do so.

The chairman said that tho £4 1 4s charged hy the Board did not cover the cost.. The overage cost of a maternity bod in the Dominion was £2BO per annum, and of the ordinary hud £lB7 per annum. At Christchurch Hospital the charge was the same as at Timaru. The country hospitals paid £4 4s per week, plus the doctor’s feo, but in Timaru the £4 4s charge included the doctor’s fee. The bad old days when the general idea was that the public hospital was a placo for the indigent only, had gone, he hoped, forever. The publio hospital should be open to everybody. There was nothing surer than the fact that Hospital Boards in Now Zealand were going to bo staffed by stipendiary staffs. As to tho charge under notice, ho did not think there, was any hardship in it. Mr IS. Macdonald inquired whether the deputation would suggest that the maternity ward should be run at a loss ?

Sirs Horwell said they could not understand why the maternity ward charge should bei higher than for tho other wards, and they did not think it equitable that there should be differentiation.

Mr G. Dash said it was pleasing to hoar the deputation .express satisfaction with the Board’s policy and work, and ho went on to speak in support of the request for a reduction in the mateinity ward charge. Unless they were going to make a separate charge for each sendee rendered m the hospital, according to its cost, the charge for the maternity ward and for the general ward should be the same. Certainty the mother and the child should not be differentiated a-gainst, especially as tlio maternity ward was not the most costly in the hospital. They had at the public hospital the best servioe and equipment which couTd be obtained in South Canterbury, and they wanted to see the maternity ward full; everyone who needed it should have tho benefit of it. 'With regard to the request for a district maternity nurse he doubted whether one would ho sufficient, and if they appointed one for Timaru, every other part of South Canterbury would be entitled to one. ~ j'fr 3 Bow said they would ho satisfied with one to commence with Mr Dash asked if it would not be better for the patient to go to the maternity ward in the public hospital than have the attention of a district nurse? Tho old idea of nursing in tho homo seemed to he dying out so far as maternity cases were concerned. Mr Hardcastle went into figures to show that the sorvice with a district nurse would not bo any cheaper than by going to tho hospital ward. At this stage the deputation retired the chairman assuring them that the matter would have the Board’s serious consideration.

After discussion. Mrs Unwin gave notice Oi morion tor next meeting of the Board : That the maternity feo bo. reduced to £3 3s per week.” Mr Brown said that ho would second tfiis. It was more important, bo said, to look after the mothers than the fathers; the mother and child should bo specially catered for, and mothers should be encouraged to go to tho mat°rnity ward at tlie public hospital Tlio request in respect of a district nurse was referred to tho House and I manco Committee.