SECRET BALLOT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 192, 16 August 1938, Page 10

SECRET BALLOT.

DOCTORS' DECISION.

HEALTH INSURANCE.

RESULT ANNOUNCED.

OPPOSITION TO SCHEME.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

An announcement regarding the attitude of members of the medical profession to the Government's health insurance proposals was made by Dr. J. P. S. .Jamieson, president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Aseociation.

Dr. Jamieson said that in view of the nature of the Government's proposals and its consistent attitude in completely rejecting all advice tendered by the association as representing 98 per cent of the medical profession practising in New Zealand, a secret ballot was taken among members of the association in June last in order to ascertain individual views as to which scheme they approved —that of the Government or that advanced by the aesociation.

The issues upon which members were asked to vote were stated on the ballot paper as follows: —(a) I approve of the principle of a limited health insurance scheme as outlined in the association's plan, with the income limit to be approved by the association; and (b) I approve of the principle of the universal general practitioner service as outlined by the Prime Minister.

Voting Not Influenced. "Members of the association," said Dr. Jamieson, "were left to vote entirely as they wished, and were in no way influenced by the executive through any statement for or against either scheme being enclosed with the ballot paper. The result was that of 913 returns received, 45 (that is less than five per cent) were in favour of the Government's scheme. Under these circumstances the association cannot assure the Government of that measure of support and co-operation whi~Jj ie necessary to carry out its scheme, for it is obvious that it will be foisted on the profession against its conviction, and therefore, the Government can hardly complain of the result. .

"It will be interesting to see what the Government proposes to do in the cirenmetances," said Dr. .Tamieson. "Incidentally, I notice that the Rev. A. H. Xordmeyer, chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee, who has been acting as the Government spokesman, is reported to have stated at a meeting at Newtown (Wellington), that doctors who were ready to co-operate would have their names published and the person could select his doctor and would have the right to change every three months. Does this mean that the Government hopes to eplit the medical profession on the subject, expecting that some will art under the scheme and that the remainder will be obliged to come in ultimately whether they wish to or not? If so then such a policy on the Government's part must come ae a painful shock to the majority of its supporters who stand for the principle of collective bargaining. Does the Government stand by its principles, or not 1 If it does stand by them, then how does it explain away ite apparently studied action of completely disregarding the medical profession, and Mr. Nordmeyer's reported statement? It is certainly a matter upon which a definite answer is required.

Loyalty of B.M.A. Members. "So far as the B.M.A. is concerned, I feel confident in assuring the Government that it* members are just ae loyal to their association as those of any other''organisation, and when the time arrives the 5 per cent who voted in favour of the Government's proposals will be found acting with the 85 per cent." : *^

Dr. Jamieson said he regretted to hay* to draw attention to another statement attributed to Mr. Nordmeyer, which, in this ease, was totally misleading. Speaking at the eame meeting at Newtown, Mr. Nordmeyer was reported to have stated: "It is interesting to notice that the British Government's experience of the health insurance scheme has been that, though it embraced only a comparatively small section of the community in the early, stages, the doctors themselves were now asking for its extension, and the B.M.A. was aleo approving." "This statement," said Mr. Jamieson, "conveys an incorrect impression. The actual position ie that the British scheme is limited, both as to the beneficiaries included, and the range of the services provided. It provides a general practitioner service only for employed persons below a certain wage or salary limit, and neither extends it to their dependents, nor includes the serious needs of hospital specialist and diagnostic eervicee. : .

Assurance Given Public association in Britain has long maintained, ae we- are insisting here, that the service* should be as complete ae possible for those unable to provide their own requirements, but it has never been suggested, either by the association or by the British Government, that a partial scheme should cover the whole population. The inference to be taken from Mr. Nordmeyer's remarks that the present opposition of the medical profession in New Zealand does not accord with the feeling of the profession in Britain, ie entirely misleading, as were the inferences of Mr. Nordmeyer and the select committee that Sir Henry Brackenbury favoured the Government scheme. The Government would be better advised to give heed to the result of the ballot which I have announced. In the meantime the general public may rest assured that the profeeeion will continue to render its present service, which is better than that I proposed b"y the Government."