EACH DISTRICT A DOCTOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 218, 12 September 1916, Page 4

EACH DISTRICT A DOCTOR.

NATIONALISING *88--effiL. SERVICE. -" SCHEME DISCUSSED Ds PROS AXD CONS PUT FORWARD ' The nationalisation of the&ediMi profession was again, discussed W *T Uon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Health, in Christchurch, oa Sattmji* and in following the matter im a b^ , sentative of the "Star" obS opinions this morning from TariovisjtW bers ot the profession in the course ot his remarks the wLili said that he had. cbirswßed, wftfTtw ' Rhodes concerning his proposals, •irtjlJ were those of the National Medkil Se? vice Association of Great Britain v Iris opinion, 'however, they repriaeatS' I an- -Weal which was not tamed as a practicable effect of the proposals was that tloitA,. should be paid for keeping conanMiSej in good health and not merely" for attending the sic-k. Under them every city \ and district would be divided into.blocks I and the doctor in charge of each would ' ibe paid directly by the residents 01% J the State. One of the difficulties ia.'the I way of. the scheme, Mr. Knesell thought 1 was that it would be impracticable t» get the people of an area to accept the ■services of the same doctor, 1 much depended upon, personality. W&Ht there was much to commend posa! for a .State medical serriceVsaii the Minister, it "was not likely that Parliament .would' give its to ( fechenie of nationalisation, at-least" until ! after the -war. - He believed, however, that in future such a propoSil tt^jl j form one of the planks in a progf egjh-e policy. '..-■■ ..". STTMULAyT OF PKtVATE " ESTEEPBISE. IT :.-!;, V Various members of the Brrfish Medical Association in Auckland agreed that it would be a, very difficult matter to elaborate a scheme on -the ilini* snggested toy Dr. Rhodes. The -preaident of the local branch (Dr. J-Sommerrjie) said that while he did not doubt tfiat it would come sooner or later Jii'JjaJ' modified form, he believed that .the individuality of the medical profession wouM always be largely retained in New Zealand. Other membeß" endorsed this opinion,- pointing out that tie case was not parallel with, those • of": other professions, such as the educational. Wliereas it-was possible .to check the work of teachers by the - results.: "qbtained in school, the "work xf doctors {.under a national scheme, would of necee|6Jtr have-to be left mainly to their oira discretion. Tha incentive to improrement and the attainment of higher qualifications would not exist ac at present, neither would force of personality so apply. . The suggestion, wa* inmAm that the scheme should in the first instance be tried lin outlying- district* with, the aid of Government-eahsidua. A case in point, said one of the doctors, was that of the friendly societies' medical service. "A cuTions;'foct ?*iie fliit; the English Act allowed a payment of 7/ per head to a doctor. . The average family consisted of four people, which made the payment. 28/ per.jyeax -per family. Against this the allowance for j friendly society work. in. New Zealand was only 5/ per head, or Jel per average leized- family, -and, further, the' latter rate had not altered during the last-.... thirty yeans. It <-was claimed thai the [extra cost pf living and motor transit '}\. ; justified .an' increase-Mil the rates. In I every instance the contention waa pot; 'forward that the competition of private: practice was a desirable stimulant to ( anedical and surgical efficiency.'.'.''. AVTLI, COME EVENTOAILY: 2. Dr. Florence Keller, -Who is a member of the Hospital and Charitable AH . Board, expressed the opinion that inch '■:;, j a scheme would. eventually . have,, .to j come, although, not. until after the liwt. , The doctor agreed that nationalisation would .probably lower the medical.tone.' j j somewhat, because it", bad" beeti.' de&----r nitely proved that conscience did not , effectively regulate -the .work _ of', in . •doctor's' Ti'lrose' "incomes.'" were - "ißrared [under similar' schemes. ' iDoetprH.'in piivate practice were as & rule especially I careful in" -diagno«ng" tawir-. <aftes, let j other medical men might 'be called, in to ; dispute their 'findings- ' A-. doctor. '•& I charge of a. whole section-■woi44 not r te jso subject ito challenge. Again,' the,p#: I eonal element entered largely into nwiK--1 cal .work, and in. or.der to .sticeeed. wtii I a national, scheme it -wouTd-be neceeury to make adequate allowance "for it"Bfo* often did- .we. .-find thai; -th'e : ;«i<*eiefal • doctors' Tvere not those with the higiet ■ qualifications, bat those who poMf»rf 1 ipereonality and sound. conmUHtjeßl»t - rAt the-" same time high. credenti«|».»4 personality went hand in'- hjuid. , DfKeller said that presuming. a-iatioM l scheme came into operation: "it .woiud. in her opinion, be necessary -, for the pooling of returns to order,* o preserve the balance ' between -TuKTeil districts. -:;~ .■;.-■.'■;_' . CXJXTRAST An interesting qpmibn. | wiu . from Dr. Drier, who is a rt«w»t aTriral from- Vancouver.. .He said that.-;wSiJ* the scheme might theoretically v: and superftcially appear attractare,. it'*o"l? . open the way for very grave inefficient. (in the medical profession. -IlifluOTCC;]?. securing appointments and ,sla<ikeiiiig of effort were dangers that : had io P a Faced; ■ Dr. Drier-said that -lie "did sot believe that ttc people of Canada wouw give consideration to saeh a . sdhenl* Even the hospitals there "were open to all. so that any doctor in the city BJgK send his patients in and treat thcm..Tn c result was that every man and I ?** in the community had an active interestin the public hospitals, and they-re-ceived accommodation" accoT&ing" . .V , their means, varying from-iward to private room, with separate bath and telephonj. As a Canadian Dr. Drier did w> l sec many points"in favour of a nation*!; [ iseJ medical service. .'