MINISTER HOPEFUL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 112, 21 February 1941, Page 3

MINISTER HOPEFUL.

WORKING OF THE SCHEME OUTPATIENT AND OTHER SERVICES WELLINGTON, February 20. “These regulations give effect to the Government’s desire to distribute more equitably the cost of sickness,” said the Minister for Health (the Hon. A. H .Nordmeyer), in commenting on the Social Security Medical Benefits Regulation. “This aim has been endorsed in no uncertain manner by the people of the Dominion. “Free hospital service, the provision of maternity benefits, and the introduction of free mental hospital treatment has already given the public an indication of the advantages of the social insurance burden removed from the shoulders of the individual patient, the cost of his treatment being spread over the community as a whole, insteady of becoming bis personal lesponsibility. The general practitioner service now to be provided will extend further the principle of social insurance. “While it will not free ihe ii dividual from the whole cost of medical care—that is not possible until a free specialist service is also available —it gives a free family doctor service to all who are in need of it. “May I at this stage make an appeal to the public to co-operate with the profession in every possible way. The doctor’s instructions should be carefully carried out. Unreasonable demands should not be made upon him. He should be consulted whenever possible at his surgery, an& not be expected to visit the home when the patient’s condition is such that • the latter could quite safely and conveniently attend .at the surgery. Except in cases of serious emergency, the doctor should not be summoned at night, and ; when a visit is required at home he should, if possible, be called earn' in the day. The observance of these simple provisions will ensure that the doctor’s skill and experience are economically utilised. Benefit to Profession. “While the scheme will have many advantages to the sick, it will also be of great benefit to the profession. The payment which has been decided upon by the Government will be recognised, I think, as not merely adequate, but as generous. It is, of course, impossible to assess the value of the service which doctors render to the community in terms of cash, but it is quite certain that under the scheme the profession as a whole will not suffer financial loss. “The scheme will free members of the profession from the worry of collecting bad debts, from the embarrassment of sending accounts to patients whom they know in many cases can ill afford to pay, and lie the difficulty of deciding how much in any particular case it is fair to charge a patient. I am confident that when the doctors operate the scheme fully 'they will appreciate the immense advantages of the system over that which has prevailed in the past. Incidentally I may mention that the doctors who are working under the Maternity Provisions Act, whatever their original attitude to the scheme, are now enthusiastic in their praise of it, and I venture to hope that the same experience will occur in connection with this new section of the act. “It should be noted that while the regulations apply to most people in New Zealand there are certain isolated areas where provision has been

made in the act for the Minister to make special arrangements. In those areas is not necessary to fill in any card, as a contract will he entered into by the Health Department and a- doctor to care for the people in those areas. I mention this because where medical associations or similar bodies are in existence for securing adequate medical care in these isolated places it is desirable that they be continued so that they may be available to co-operate with, the Health Department for the carrying on of the service. No resolution to disband should be carried until it is certain that no good purpose can be served by continuing the organisation. Extensions of Scheme. “It is also proposed to begin a free out-patient service at the same time as the general practitioner service commences. It has always been regarded by the Government as an anomaly that persons inside a hospital receive free care while those who attend as out-patients have been charged. This will be remedied, and arrangements will be entered into with the various hospital hoards whereby outpatient treatment, so far as it covers ordinary general practitioner care, will he available. It is hoped that certain other services .rendered to out-patients will he made free also, and I shall be making a fuller announcement concerning this in the near future. “I am also pleased to be able to intimate. that the Government 'anticipates that pharmaceutical benefits-.-that is, the provision of free medicines and necessary appliances —will be in operation by April 1. Regulations dealing with this matter are now being prepared, and) I do not expect any difficulty in arranging for this service to begin on the date mentioned. “The benefits I under the general practitioner scheme will be available from March 1 next/' Cards entitling persons to make application for benefits are being printed and will he distributed to the various post offices throughout the Dominion next week. Persons desiring to obtain cards may secure them at the local post offices or on application to the Medical Officer of Health. “AVhile the provisions made in these regulations will ■ ensure a greater de-; grec of medical care to those in need of it, the Government believe,s that it will also result in a general improvement iu the health of the community. As the doctor will now be paid' whether those under liis care are ill or well, lie will have an additonal incentive to keep his patients in good health. The individual advice which he will be able to give in the matter of diets and 'll mbits, which play such a large part in determining the health of the community, should result in an all-round improvement. Realising that prevention is better than cure, I propose to inaugurate shortly a nation-wide health campaign, and details concerning this will he announced indue course.” DOCTORS SERVING OVERSEAS PROTECTION OF INTERESTS WELLINTON, February 20. In reference to the Social Security Medical Benefits Regulations, gazetted to-night, the Minister for Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) said: “Before making any reference to thesoi important regulations I desire to make an announcement of special interest to the medical professon and the public generally. The Government recognises that this new method of paying doctors may nossibly place at a disadvantage those members of the profession serving with the armed; forces, and legislation will he presented to Parliament this session which will ensure that every general practitioner serving in the Army, Navy, or Air Force will be guaranteed in the

first year after lie returns to> practice an amount not less than that which he derived from the practice of his profession during the last complete year before his departure. This* arrangement will ensure that.‘no general practitioner serving with the forces will suffer loss on his return through having been away from civilian practice. It is an arrangement which will, I am sure, commend itself to the public as fair and reasonable in the circumstances.