View report page

120
Taking the 4 completed years, 1913-16, above given,
it will be observed that the average number of beds in occupation
daily during each year was 64.3, 78.1, 96.8 and 82.3
respectively, or 80.4 on the average, say 80.
Pavilion "B" provides 2 beds and these will be nearly
constantly occupied, say a daily average of 20.
This will raise the daily number of occupied beds by 20,
making 100 on the basis of the four years' average, 1913-16.
The cost per occupied bed diminishes as the number of
occupied beds increases, and but for the increased cost of
commodities and labour, the rate of 6s. per day per bed
for 1915, when 96.8 patients were in daily occupation would
be reduced. But the prices have gone up since 1915 during
which year pre-war contracts were operative, as will be seen
by a comparison of 1916 with 1914 and the Summer halfyear
ended 30th September, 1916, with the whole year ended
31st March, 1913, the number of patients being approximately
the same for the periods compared. The year 1916
exceeds 1914 by 6d. per patient per day, and the Summer
half-year ended 30th September, 1916, exceeds 1913 bv
1s. 1d. per patient per day, in spite of various economies
effected.
In addition, the patients occupying "B" generally will
require more nursing and medical attention than cases of
Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria, as a number of them are
children under 5, who will be either spoon or bottle fed, and
maternity cases from time to time will want special attention.
Having regard to these facts, and to the continued increase
in prices at the present time, the cost per day per
occupied bed may be estimated at 8s. during the next
financial year. This means that the estimated annual cost