Middlemore Hospital: The first two decades 19431964

(Paperback)

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Built during WWII by the Public Works Department. Unwanted by the Auckland Hospital Board.

From small beginnings and numerous problems, it became one of the largest hospitals in this country.

The initial purpose of writing this book was to disprove the repeated myth that the Americans built, staffed, and treated their war casualties at Middlemore. While the American soldiers were in New Zealand during World War II, they had access to three large temporary hospitals in Auckland, with accommodation for 4,500 sick and wounded Americans.

The New Zealand Government War Cabinets policy was to have all Kiwi sick and wounded service personnel treated by New Zealand staff in New Zealand-operated hospitals. Middlemore Hospital was a result of this policy for expected casualties in the Pacific war. It was initially built as a 300-bed military hospital with plans to convert it to a civilian hospital following the cessation of wartime hostilities.

The authors spent much of their professional working lives at Middlemore. They wish to dispel the American myth and record the many problems faced during the building and functioning of this hospital.

Author Bio

EARLE BROWN MB.ChB. FRACS (Plastic Surgery) FRCS (General Surgery)

• Final year Medical Student, Auckland, National Womens Hospital 1960
• House Surgeon Auckland, Middlemore and Green Lane Hospitals 196162
• Registrar Plastic Surgery, Middlemore Hospital 196364
• Registrar General Surgery, Green Lane and Middlemore Hospitals 1965
• Postgraduate study and work in General Surgery and Plastic Surgery in UK 196669
• Plastic Surgery, Middlemore Hospital 19702005
• Clinical Head of Department Plastic Surgery 199097
• Clinical Director of Surgery 19972002
• Retired 2005

WALTER (WALLY) ROBINS FHOA(NZ), FIHA(NZ)

• Storeman Clerk, Central Store, Cornwall Hospital, October 1955
• Charge Storeman Clerk, Issue Store, Middlemore, March 1962
• Commissioning Officer, Galbraith Block, Middlemore Hospital, 196364
• Assistant Stores Officer, Middlemore Hospital, 196469
• Accounts Payable Officer, Middlemore Hospital, May 1969
• Personal Assistant to the Medical Superintendent, Green Lane Hospital, January 1970
• Assistant Hospital Manager, Middlemore Hospital, October 1971
• Manager, Middlemore Hospital, March 1978
• Retired March 1990