Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health.
Date:
[1965]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/112 (page 31)
    PART II—BUREAU OF MEDICAL SERVICES 1. HOSPITALS Introduction In previous annual reports reference has been made to the urgency of new hospital provision for areas of marked and rapid population increase. In terms of actual numbers unquestionably the problem is most acute in the Auckland, and, to a lesser extent, in the Waikato area of the Waikato Hospital Board, districts. However, in terms of percentage population increase and particularly in relation to established hospital facilities, the problem may be said to be even more acute in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua areas, served by the Whakatane, Tauranga, and Waikato Hospital Boards. In general over the rest of the country, with a few obvious exceptions in the case of Wellington and North Canterbury Hospital districts, the work of the hospital boards continues in the direction of a steady accretion of beds and facilities to serve more steadily growing popula¬ tions, the replacement of obsolete accommodation, and the upgrading of units which either fall below present acceptable standards or no longer fill the requirements of current hospital practice. The total expenditure for this year upon hospital capital works again shows an increase over the previous year: 1964-65, £5*2 million. 1963-64, £4*82 million + £0*6 million capital grants. It is perhaps as well, by way of comparison, to recall that the total expenditure on comparable works for 1951, the last year of full local rating support of hospitals, was £0*98 million. Throughout the year the major efforts of many boards and of the Department have still, of necessity, been directed to the satisfaction of those needs for which a high priority can properly be assigned in terms of urgency. So far as the aspect of priority is concerned, it may well be said that this matter is one that has been fully integrated into the hospital works programme in the form in which it is considered annually by the Hospital Works Committee in its review of estimates of hospital capital development for the ensuing year. Quite properly the attention of the Health Department and the Hospital Works Committee has been engaged upon a careful appraisal of the many suggestions that are put forward from various quarters from time to time as to the advantages that might be expected from such practices as greater use of standard plans and closer adhesion to principles elaborated in planning guides and bases. Nevertheless, upon a closer exam¬ ination of these matters as they apply to individual hospital projects, it is found that there are certain persistent and recurring limitations to the practical application of standard plans to a given particular project. This is especially the case in redevelopment schemes on older hospital sites upon which there are sound buildings with a relatively long expectation of life. The problem often becomes, therefore, one of a compromise in terms of economics and feasibility.