WELLINGTON HOSPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2382, 24 December 1908, Page 2

WELLINGTON HOSPITAL.

~ LACK OF ACCOMMODATION NOTORIOUS. SCANDALO US “OVERCROWDING. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. Delegates from the Wellington Hospital Trustees and the District Hospital Board held a conferenceyesterday, to consider the question of providing, additional hospital accommodation. The chairman, the Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.C., said the „ present lack of accommodation wa s'notorious. The overcrowding of the lever hospital was a/scandal. One or two of the hospital doctors had been attacked by diseases, and several nurses had been struck down also, and why ? Because they had been compelled to stay in an overcrowded building, which was reeking with fever germs. The trustees desired to put up a fever hospital that would suffice for some years to come. The fever hospital must come, whatever happened. Whether it could be done cheaper the trustees were prepared to discuss., for the Board’s aims were the trustees’ aims, but ho was persuaded that delay should be avoided. He wanted them to understand that the estimate of £25,000 before the meeting was for other requirements besides the fever hospital. The estimate was made up of £12,000 to £14,000 for excavations and buildings for the fever hospital, and the remainder for the Wellington hospital proper. This meant that the original estimate had been cut •clown by £4OOO or £SOOO. Four wards were incontemplation . Help had been promised by ladies of this city towards the institution of a children’s ward, and the money for a ward for cancer patients had been promised by a family in this city, whose names lie was not permitted to mention. Then there was a'proposal for junior staff accommodation and offices, which were necessary. Mr. It. C. Kirk said that 2SO or 281 was the average of patients in the hospital, and there was not the accommodation for anything like that number. The lion, medical staff and Dr. Ewen were all agreed that it was necessary to go on with the buildings, and get extra storeys or two of the wards added to. It would be absolutely necessary to consider tlie provision of a second operating theatre. An eye, ear, and throat hospital, which was in the extension scheme, had been allowed to lapse temporarily, the medical officer having signified his willingness to make the present quarters suffice for a while longer. As to the fever ward, that was absolutely necessary, but the cost had been cut down by providing •for first and second stage patients only., and leaving the convalescent accommodation out of the scheme. Accommodation for cases of measles Jiad been cut out also. A proposal to do this in regard to diphtheria cases was made, but the doctors were against this, because they considered it would be a distinct menace to general cases,.to treat diphtheria. The need for the proposed extensions was urgent. At present nurses had to sleep alongside scarlet fever patients, and it was no wonder the nurses went down. As jo the estimate of £15,000, he did not see how that could be cut down. During the discussion that took place, a cottage hospital at Petone or Hutt, to relieve the main hospital, was suggested, but it was considered that this would be crowded for the most part by convalescents and local accident cases now treated in their own homes, and that in the result no actual relief of the present congestion in Wellington would be gained. Another suggestion was that ihe Government should be approached with a request to have hospital boards and hospital trustees included in the divisions of the local bodies .authorised to borrow money on the open market. This proposal met with favor. It was resolved that the conference ask the Premier to receive it as a deputation, to the _ end that ways and means may be discussed in the matter of the proposed hospital.