HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17662, 13 August 1929, Page 5

HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

THAMES BOARD MEETS

PAEROA HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

QUESTION OF STAFFING. The August meeting of the Tnames Hospital Board was held yesterday afternoon, when Mr W. E. Hale presided over Messrs J. Lange, C. W. Kennedy, A. R. Robinson, P. Brenan, and J. W. Dauby. The secretary, Mr G. Tonge, was also in attendance.

Fees for Native Nurse. The Health - Department wrote that in the case of a Hospital Board suing for fees due by settlers for the Services of the Native Nurse, judgment had been given against the Board, since the*' Department paid the nurse’s salary. It had decided to invoke the clause in the Crown Suits’ Amendment Act so that anyone appointed by the Solicitor-General could sue on .behalf of the King, providing the' amount was under £SO. This would enable the Board to sue successfully.

The letter was received after the secretary had explained its effect upon the Board.

Registration of Nurses.

The Health Department notified the cases had recently come before the Nurses’, and Mid wives’ Registration Board which showed that all 'Hospital Boards were not conversant, with the provisions of the Act relating' to the termination of the service . of pupils in training. , \ ,pj;;-. ■ ‘ The actual clause which;dealt with the matter was: “The govdrtjmg body of any approved hospital limited - training hospital shall, not,,' without the consent of the Board,; terminate the training of any person who has commenced a course of training at such hospital until the expiration of the term of training required by this regulation, and when, with the consent aforesaid, the training of any person has been so terminated, the governing body shall give the Registrar notification thereof.” Treatment of Maori Patients.

The Bay of Plenty Hospital Board asked the Board’s assistance in the calling of a conference of Boards interested in hospital and nursing treatment of natives, at Hamilton, with the idea of getting a more satisfactory system. The letter, inter alia, stated: “It was felt that the ordinary channels of approach, i.e., through the Association afid the' Department of Health, have now been tried so often without avail that if any assistance is to be obtained, it behoves those. Boards vitally interested to take the matter into their own hands and approach Parliament direct.” The Board was asked to appoint a representative if such conference eventuated.

The chairman said that the question had been thrashed out at the conference for the past five years. It deeply affected this district. He had notified the Bay of plenty Board that the Thames Board would support anything of the kind. In answer to Mr Danby, the chairman said that from time to time the Hospital Boai'ds’ Conference had approached the Government during the past five years, but nothing had been done.

The chairman’s action was approved.

£IOO Voluntary Donation.

The Town Clerk of Paeroa forwarded a cheque for £IOO, being local voluntary contributions for hospital purposes.—Received. Patient at Waihi.

It was reported that a man had been admitted to the Waihi Hospital who had walked out from the Thames Hospital prior to his discharge/ gone to Waihi, and had then had a bad turn and had been admitted to the Waihi Hospital. After some discussion, the chairman moved that the Board accept responsibility for the case only until he was fit to be returned to the Thames Hospitkl. The motion was carried.

REPORTS. Acting-Matron.

In the absence of the matron, Miss K. M. Ansenne, on leave, Sister Davies, acting-matron, reported various changes in personnel, nurses and sisters going on leave. The Women’s National Reserve had sent magazines and comforts for patients, and had taken the convalescents for a drive. In the maternity annexe there had been nine births during the month. Medical Superintendent/

The medical superintendent, Dr W. Sowerby, reported that there had been 84 patients admitted during the month and 83 discharged, having 78 still in hospital. . There had been 41 operations.-r-Received.

The Homes.

AH was going well at the Homes, reported the matron, there being 20 male inmates remaining, the only female having been discharged during the month. Their conduct had been uniformly good. The Homes, Tararu.

The farm-hand reported that the pastures were very bare and he still had to resort to hand-feeding the herd. The condition of the garden was very good for the time of year. The hens were laying well, 137 dozen eggs having been laid. The chairman reported that all was well at the Homes. Native Nurse.

Nurse Jamieson, Native Nurse, reported that she had paid 110 visits during the month, including lectures at Maori schools at Paeroa, Tapu, Tararu and Tirohia. Pas had been visited at Paeroa, Moananui, Roto-

kohu, Tirohia, Waitoki, Komata, Puriri, Omahu, Kerepeehi, Ngaftea, Thames, Kaueranga, Parawai, Kopu, Kirilciri, Tapu, Tahuna, Makomako. A large variety of cases had been attended.

General Matters.

Accounts amounting to £1289/14/8

were passed for payment.

The same committees which had acted for the previous month yere reappointed.

Equipping Paeroa Hospital

The secretary reported that he had inspected the Paeroa Hospital, and recommended that all the floors be stanied except the corridors, in which he recommended the laying of high quality linoleujn. After dealing in detail with the various equipment necessary the total was found to be £655/14/9.

The secretary was instructed to obtain quotations for the necessary equipment and to bring them before the next meeting with his recommendations, preference where to firms in the Board’s district.

Mr Brenan said that the building should be ready about the end ' of October.

Mr Dafiby referred to the fact that the Public Department, had attempted to plan a modern building and had omitted to include any sort of verandah room. This was 1 ' deplored by several members. Mr Brenan worked out the cost of the whole building as follows: Building £5500 Grounds .. ~ .. .. £623 Equipment .. .. .. £655 Total ' £6778 The chairman said that there would be three on the nursing staff and the domestic. The matron in charge would have to do the bulk of the clerical Work, though the secretary would have to attend frequently. Mr Kennedy said that at Te Kuiti the Board subsidised two medical practitioners to the extent of £l5O each. Perhaps this system might,be considered for Paeroa.

The chairman considered that the staffing of the hospital should t be referred to the Health Department, since that would constitute the main maintenance charges. Mr Danby’s opinion was to the effect that a conference with one of the Department’s officers to lay down a definite scheme of administration. Finally the chairman moved that the Board set before the Department its views on the matter of equipment and ask for the Department’s view on the staffing question.

Nurse Jarrett Memorial.

The secretary reported that the total collection to date for the Nurse Jarrett Memorial totalled £l3/17/-. Members expressed disappointment at the result. The Pareoa list totalled £l6, making a total of about £3O, whereas at least £SO was wanted.