MEDICAL BENEFITS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 125, 8 March 1941, Page 6

MEDICAL BENEFITS

DOCTORS ACCEPTING CARDS. MINISTER’S ADVICE TO PUBLIC. CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS. (P.A.) NELSON, This Day. A statement concerning the Medical Benefits Scheme was made to-day hy the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordme.yer). “I am now in a position to state that although the Medical Benefits Scheme has been in operation only a week, sufficient doctors are accepting patients under it to justify my complete confidence that' the General Practitioner Service will soon be available to the whole population of New Zealand,” said the Minister. “Accounts have been appearing in the press of resolutions passed by certain branches of the British Medical Association and reports of the few doctors who are alleged to be taking patients under the scheme, but these have given an entirely false picture of the position. Numbers ,of medical men who are freely signing cards do not desire to have their names published, with the result that the published statement of numbers of names does not reveal the actual extent to which medical benefits are already available. “I cannot emphasise too much this fact, that a person should not wait until the name of the doctor whom lie chooses is advertised. The only safe method of ascertaining whether he is signing cards and accepting patients under the scheme is by personal inquiry. No notice should be taken of resolutions or rumours, and people should interview the doctor themselves in order to ascertain definitely whether or not he is willing to accept them. There is no obligation upon doctors :o advertise the fact that they are taking patients and consequently many people are depriving themselves of medical benefits through their failure to approach the doctor of their choice.” “ :I wish to appeal to everybody, and especially people in good health, to take out cards,” continued the Minister. “The success of this scheme requires those enjoying good health, as well as. those who are sick, to sign up and for their own sakes the public should obtain cards now while they are well. There is no need for a doctor to accept any particular patient under the scheme, and he will be quite within his rights if he refuses to give free treatment to those who sign their application cards only when they become ill. “I understand that some people ”e----quire a number of cards for distribution. These should be obtained from the local Medical Officer of Health. Secretaries of Trades Unions and other organisations may obtain bulk quantity on application to this officer.” The Minister mentioned that the 15th of each month had been fixed as the accounting day. This means that the doctor’s payment for March would be computed according to the number of people who were on his list on this day. It was desirable, therefore, that cards should be completed early, so that doctors might have the utmost possible number of cards in the hands of the Medical Officer of Health by that date. Mr Nordmeyer indicated that after the 15th of the month fie would be in a position to make a statement concerning the actual number of doctors definitely known to be operating the scheme.