HUNTLY HOSPITAL

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18534, 14 January 1932, Page 8

HUNTLY HOSPITAL

NOT TO BE CLOSED. CITIZENS’ SUPPORT PROMISED. VARIOUS REQUESTS ANSWERED. Strong protests at the suggestion that the Huntly Hospital should be closed have been voiced by citizens of the town and .a movement is, on foot to popularise the Institution. As the result of the protests the House and Finance Committee of the Waikato Hospital Board yesterday further considered the complaints and representations placed before it at Huntly on December 3i The committee reported on the requests of the Huntly deputation as follows: (a) “That a certain number of beds be set aside for accident cases." —The committee recommends that in order to set aside a certain number of beds for accident cases the verandah be .closed In, so as to enable the inside ward to be used for females and the verandah for males, or vice versa, approximate cost, £l2. (b) "That If the Hospital Board subsidised the local doctors for attendance to all patients the hospital would be made more use of generally." —The committee cannot recommend that the local medical men be subsidised.

(c) “It is recommended that the board officially appoint the two Huntly doctors as honorary surgeons with full power to act as such whenever necessary.”—That the two local medical men be given formal authority to treat patients in the Huntly, Hospital. (d) “It is also recommended that a separate room be provided for septic cases, so that transfers will not need to be made to. Hamilton.” —It is a,fact that, people have lost confidence through the removal of patients to'the Hamilton Hospital. It is not possible to consider granting this request, as all septic cases are required by the Health Department to be transferred to the main hospital. In respect to operations' at the Huntly Hospital, the medical superintendent points out that only minor (non-septio) operations should he performed and that It would be inadvisable to set aside a special room for the isolation of septio maternity cases. Such cases should be removed to 'the general (e) “ That the board declare the hospital as a maternity, surgical and general hospital and define what operations may be performed, at the institution." —The committee c.annot recommend the adoption of any change in the policy in regard to this hospital. Co-operation of Residents. In conclusion, the committee finds, that although the Huntly Hospital has not been used to advantage for some time, it does not recommend that the institution lie closed at the present lime, as there is every likelihood that the residents of Huntly will fully cooperate with the board and its officials and that the hospital will eventually fully justify 'the purpose for which it was erected.

Mr W. R. Lowry. (Piako) moved an amendment to the motion that the report be adopted that the hospital he given a trial for the next six months and closed'if the position showed no improvement. “ That is like holding a pistol to their heads,” commented Mr F. Price (Matamata). “If the hospital is not a suc'cess we have the right ‘to close it at any limo. We can, of course, review the position in six months if necessary." The chairman (Mr J. J. Ryburn) reminded the board, that it would have to get authority from the Health Department to take such action. • The committee had made the position quite clear to the Huntly residents and stressed that small cases should not be sent to the Waikato Hospital.

Assurance Wanted.

Mr A. Livingstone said while he did not wish it to be thought he was holding a 1 pistol to the heads of the Huntly people he wanted an assurance that the position would bo reviewed later. The chairman: You can move that way any time you desire. Mr C. J. W. Barton said he had not been satisfied with the working of the Huntly Hospital since its Inception. He considered the committee had met the citizens in a proper spirit and had given them a fresh lease of life. The main point was for the citizens themselves to agree,' since they apneared to be divided into, two camps. The community was half industrial and half farming, and it was necessary to take both interests Into account. So far as he. was concerned the question was settled. The amendment was only anticipating trouble. The need for bringing home, to the people of Huntly that the board was not satisfied with the manner in which they had supported their hospital was emphasised by Mr Lowry. The amendment was withdrawn and the report of the House and Finance Committee adopted.