Report of the Department of Health / New Zealand.

  • New Zealand. Department of Health.
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

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

    10/144 (page 10)
    Benefits” and 184 per cent to vote “Health”. The major contributing factors to these increases were: Vote “Health” Salaries and Wages—The increase of £212075 is accounted for partly by an increase of 168 in the total staff and partly by the cost of the general salary increase from 1 October 1958. Staff increases related mainly to dental and student dental nurses (77) and mental hygiene staff (75). The staffing of mental hospitals has continued to improve. Poliomyelitis Vaccination—The increase of £80,655 results from greater purchases of vaccine used in the increased tempo of the campaign for vaccination of children and other persons at risk. Mental Hygiene—Salaries and wages accounted for nearly half of the increase of £209,351. The balance relates mainly to increases in the following items— (a) Rations (£45,558). Rises in meat costs; increase of ration scale particularly on eggs; greater patient population. (b) Fuel, light, and power (£25,427) contributed to by increased costs for electricity and coal. (c) Uniforms (£15,315). Patterns for uniforms were changed and two years stock obtained. (d) Drugs and instruments (£10,205). New drugs brought into use. (e) Subsidies to Intellectually Handicapped Children’s Association (£10,827). Greater assistance by way of capital grants. Loans, Subsidies, and Grants—Though there was a decrease of £87,310 in the payments to religious and welfare organisations to provide accommodation for old people the amount paid to local authorities by way of subsidy for the erection of cottages and flats for old people increased by £51,071. This was the first year that a £l-for-£l subsidy was paid on the net proceeds of sales of “Health” stamps, this accounting for an increase of £36,657. Dental Stores and Equipment—The increase of £46,414 was largely due to the opening of 44 new clinics. The greater number of student nurses recruited into the three training schools over the past few years is now being reflected in more trained dental nurses in the field. Vote “Medical, Hospital, etc., Benefits” The sums provided under this vote (exclusive of assessed salaries) increased substantially by £1,597,068 to £18,655,375 — an increase of approximately 9-2 per cent compared with T7 per cent and 8 per cent in the two preceding years. Details of the increases are as follows: Maternity benefits . . . . . . 93,134 Medical benefits . . . . . . 41,754 Hospital benefits . . . . . . 844,095 Pharmaceutical benefits . . . . 645,802 Supplementary benefits .. .. 27,717* £\, 597,068 * Decrease. The relative costs since 1954-55 are shown in a graph on page 15. The hospital and pharmaceutical benefits account for the bulk of the increase. In the previous year subsidies totalling £117,782 were paid to