NO ULTIMATUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 196, 20 August 1938, Page 10

NO ULTIMATUM.

RUMOUR DENIED.

PAY FOR DOCTORS.

HONORARY APPOINTMENTS.

MATTER BEING DISCUSSED.

Rumours from Wellington that doctors attached to the honorary staff of the public hospital there, by refusing to continue unpaid work after the end of next month, had taken the first of a peries of moves expected to be followed by doctors all over the Dominion, were to-day investigated by the Parliamentary representative of the ".Star," who was assured by the chairman of the honorary ftaff, Dr. T. D. M. Stout, that puch (statements were entirely without Inundation. Although ho denied categorically that the honorary stuff had notified the Wellington Hospital Board that it would do no unpaid work after the end of next jnontlj, Dr. Stout admitted, however, that the question of payment for the visiting bad been discussed. Humours that *|&] ultimatum hail been issued were fidk'tjtlbus, he declared. The Wellington rumours stated that the honorary medical and surgical staffs were involved, that they had informed the Hospital Board that in light of the Government's intentions toward the jredical profession it felt that it was Jio longer incumbent upon them to serve the hospital without fees, and that by September 30 new arrangements must be inude by the Hospital Board. These arrangements, it was believed, might take ;|lie /orm of employing the existing Staff Jpart time, at a fee, or of replacing it wipi a pnid staff of full-time doctors. Auckland Attitude. Infer viewed to-day, Dr. Frank Mackv, president of tlie local branch of the Bl'itiish -Medical Afsociution, stated that Auckland doctors had not discussed the quaatxtn of payment for the honorary Staff. Ho understood that discussion had taken place in Wellington, and that the decisions arrived at had been communicated to the Department of Health, which was delaying reply until the Government had decided upon a uniform echen* to apply to honorary staffs of all JJew Zealand hospitals. ''It I should be obvious that the voluntary system must be abolished by the (|bverninentV scheme, as it aims mt the abolition of all the traditional unpaid , medical work and the disturb-, •nee of the personal quality of the \ relationship between doctor and patient," said Dr. Macky. "The brisbane Hospital has inaugurated' the system of paying for sessions worked by -each unit of the ? visiting ' staff—essentially the same b numbers and personnel as the old honorary staff •—at a cost of £21,000. uWe maintain that it is essential to

fefe retain the visiting staff for the good of i thtf. "hospital and the good of the If the visiting staff is M #holiimed the hospital automatically begins to slip back. The Wellington staff has elaborated m * shplar scheme and is expected to press for its adoption. It is understood fe: that the Government is not averse to |s| ,uc h a_ scheme, but is likely to insist on a uniform scheme throughout the fe Dominion. So far no detailed informa-fe:-tion has reached Auckland regarding Wellington developments, and therefore I SM no steps have been taken in the matter

" Time Approaching." The position in Dunedin was outlined J* Thomson, medical superintends ;dsnt at the Dunedin Hospital, says a & Press Association message. Ha stated p that the' question of payment had not heen suggested there. Dniiedin's position |pM*s different, as all members of the " honorary*- staff were teachers at the • .Medical School.

t>/,... -j Dr. i Thomson added that without ?,ij doubt the time was approaching when fa' honorary surgeons would have to be « Wellington doctors were paid jlMMher boards must fall into line.