The Golden Casket….

Last night I was watching an item on TVNZ News, about an elderly man being unceremoniously discharged from the Wellington Hospital. The nurse told him to take public transport back to  Palmerston North where he lived, quite a distance from Wellington,  and the fact that the man had arrived in the Emergency Room of the Wellington hospital wearing only his pyjamas, and had no money with him to pay for  a bus, evoked little sympathy from hospital staff.   Eventually, the problem came to a head and was resolved,  and the man was flown by Air Ambulance back to his home.  During the flight, he suffered another attack of his heart problem and was re-hospitalised in Palmerston North for four days.

The reason I am writing this post is that I would like to make a suggestion to Mr. John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand. This outlines one of the most successful hospital fund raising events in the last two centuries……

The Golden Casket, ever heard of this?

You would have, if you were from Queensland back in the day.  This was the lottery run by the Queensland Government, since 1916. It has made a hugely positive  effect on  the Queensland economy, public health system and  community.

The very first Golden Casket Lottery was run in 1916, and was called that because the jackpot prize of Five Thousand Pounds was actually in a small jewellery box called a casket. And, as cash prizes were prohibited by law, would you believe, there was  five thousand pounds worth  of solid gold. Yes, you read right, solid gold, not cash,  actually in the box presented to the winner.

My suggestion to Mr Key is that we could have a special Hospital Lottery run once a week, with all proceeds going the hospital and health systems. There could still be a “Wheel of Fortune”, with some hospital taking off a large prize each week, as well as benefiting from the rest of the profits. No dilution of these funds should be allowed. Let all the other good works funded from the lotteries continue from the main source.  I am willing to bet that most Kiwis would gladly buy a five dollar lotto ticket each week for something that could have a profound influence on our health system.

So, how about it, Mr Key.  Worth a thought?