HOSPITAL FOR GERALDINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23285, 22 August 1945, Page 4

HOSPITAL FOR GERALDINE

Proposal Adopted By Board Sanction Of Minister Sought

A decision to agree to the building of a 24-bed hospital at Geraldine and to ask the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) for his immediate sanction to buy the site known as “The Pines,” was made by the South Canterbury Hospital Board at its meeting yesterday. “My committee urges that a start should be made with a 24-bed hospital, with plans capable of expansion to a 60-bed hospital as future needs dictate.” stated a letter from the chairman of the Geraldine Hospital Committee (Mr D. C. McKechnie). “We understand that 35 beds are provided at Kaikoura, and more than 60 beds at Waimate. The new district hospital will require to serve a population up to 6000, and even on the Health Department's estimates of 6.2 beds and 10 beds per 1000 of population, our estimate of 24 beds required, appears a reasonably conservative estimate. We hope that you will agree with us that the provision of this sized hospital is the most economic unit to start with at Geraldine,” concluded the letter.

When the Minister of Health visited Geraldine he was sympathetic to the proposal, said the chairman (Mr E. Macdonald). The Minister remarked that it was unusual for all the people to agree about a site. The Board should endorse the proposals outlined by Mr McKechnie for a 24-bed unit, said Mr C. E. Kerr. Although the Board might agree it did not follow that the Department would sanction it. According to a statement made by Mr McKechnie. the private hospital at Geraldine would close if a cottage hospital were established, said Mr Macdonald. Captain G. T. Hennessy asked what was the smallest economic unit possible for a co.ttage hospital? It defended on whether the hospital was full or empty, said the secretary (Mr H. G. Naylor). If a full staff were engaged and all facilities provided and the hospital was only half full then it would be an expensive unit. It was a difficult question to answer. Mr H. J. Clark said that he thought the Board was rushing the matter. They had a big programme to complete in Timaru. and if they began building at Geraldine both programmes might be brought to a standstill. Material was still to be obtained for the Timaru scheme. He was not against the proposal, but the matter of building should be deferred. He agreed to the purchase of the building site. « Problem of Staff Although he was in favour of a general hospital for Geraldine, said Mr F. G. M. Raymond, he would have to be assured that the proposed maternity annexe and extension to the nurses’ home at the Timaru Hospital would not be jeopardised. If the Board agreed to a 24-bed hospital at Geraldine where was the staff to come frdm? Obviously nurses would have to be trained at Timaru thereby adding to the difficulties here. The Board should concentrate on the programme for the base hospital. Captain Hennessy said that at the rate nurses and doctors were being trained in New Zealand and at the rate

they were returning from overseas, the Board need not fear a shortage of personnel. A vast amount of w’ork for the Geraldine hospital and many of the main services could be performed by the Timaru Hospital. Mr Kerr: It is generally believed that when the general hospital comes into being, the private hospital will close down and eight beds would be available. From their experience the demand was always overtaking the supply. There was no fear of jeopardising the plan for the extension of the Timaru Hospital which would be in greater demand as men returned from overseas. In supporting Geraldine’s claim, Mr C. M. Talbot said there was a weakness in it in that a sick person from Geraldine could claim admittance to the Timaru Hospital. Mr Naylor said that the option on the property would expire a week after the meeting of the Board. It was “dirt cheap” at £l2OO, said Mr Macdonald. Mr Kerr: The owner had a recent offer of £2300. Mr Navlor explained that at the Board’s *last meeting it had been decided by resolution to buy the property. Acting on that, he had made formal application for the Minister’s sanction. If the Park land had been made available a year ago, the work of construction would now be m progress. , . The Department of Health desired more information about the project, said Mr J. C. Hay. and that information should be supplied immediately to enable the Department to expedite its decision.