LARGER HOSPITALS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 14, 17 January 1936, Page 7

LARGER HOSPITALS

) ARE THEY DESIRABLE? SUBMERGING THE HUMAN ELEMENT [ Per Frees Association. ] HASTINGS, Jan. J 6. Two interesting views on the question of hospital organisation were expressed by the Minister of Health. Hon. P. Eraser, and by Dr. B. M. Wilson, a member of tae Hawke'is Bay Hospital Board, during the former’s visit to the Hastings Hospital this afternoon. Mr. Fraser, it was to be gathered, tends to the view that there should be a limited number of central hospitalci- at which major surgical ! operations should be performed, and that for such purposes the smaller hospitals should not be used. Dr. Wilson expressed himself in favour of much smaller hospitals than are the rule, and said that his experience as a visitor to hospitals abroad had convinced him that most of the central hospitals were far too large. So much so that the human eleinenj was almost submerged. College surgeons, said Mr. Fraser, had declared there should be only a few hospitals at which major operations ehould be performed. Their altitude was that the greatest possible surgical skill could not be made available at smaller hospitals for major operations and it was not fair to the patients to deny tibem the highest skill. Mr. Fraser was engaged throughout the day in Napier and Hastings hearing representations on a variety of subjects of local interets. He will leave to-morrow morning for southern Hawke’s Bay in continuation of hie tour.