HOSPITAL FEES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 2 March 1934, Page 4

HOSPITAL FEES

RECIPROCITY BETWEEN BOARDS. WAIRARAPA AND DANN EVTKKE. For many months past a considerable volume of correspondence lias passed between the Wairarapa Hospital Board and the Dannevirke Hospital Board in regard to the responsibility of the former for the fees of patients admitted to the Dannevirke Hospital where such patients are residents of the Wairarapa Board’s district. The Wairarapa. Board advised the Dannevirke Board that it would not accept responsibility. At to-day ’s meeting the Wairarapa Hospital Board received a letter from the Dannevirke Board advising that it had deferred consideration of the Wairarapa Board’s decision. On 13th February the chairman, Mr W. Fisher, accompanied by the secre-tary-manager, Mr Norman Lee, visited Wellington and interviewed the Direc-tor-General of Health regarding various matters. In his report to the Board this morning Mr Fisher says: — “Regarding the position which has arisen between the Dannevirke Hospital Board and this Board, the DirectorGeneral of Health stated that the authorities of the Dannevirke Hospital had no option but to grant relief to anyone who made application therefor, and if relief was urgent then they could claim for fees incurred from the Board in which district applicant is resident. There is no statutory authority to compel any member of the community to make application to any particular hospital, but the matter of relief is determined on the degree of urgency. If the case is not urgent, then the Board held responsible has the right to refuse responsibility. The DirectorGeneral of Health stressed the fact that the relief must be urgently required, and, if necessary, one Hospital Board claiming against another can be called upon to substantiate the statement that relief was urgent. I pointed out that this Board desired, if possible, to co-operate amicably with all Hospital Boards, and after further discussion it was suggested that the Wairarapa Hospital Board endeavour to arrange with the Dannevirke Hospital Board that where any patients in the Dannevirke Hospital are residents of the Wairarapa Hospital Board’s district, then the Wairarapa Hospital Board to pay to the Dannevirke Hospital Board 4s 6d per day and 2s 3d per day, adults and children, respectively, and leave the Dannevirke Hospital Board the right to collect fees in these cases even up to the full daily rate. I concur with the suggestions and recommend accordingly.