THE PANEL SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 10

THE PANEL SYSTEM.

As a vieitor juet arrived from England, I should like to be permitted to correct the impression that may be made by the letter on the subject of the panel doctors in England, t I admit that the conditions described by "Ex-Panel" do exist, but not to such a degrss as to eo entirely discredit the system a/ he would lead your readers to suppose. The state of affairs described by him was very general in the early days of national insurance, but it has gradually but certainly given placs to something much nearer to what was intended. My experience has been that the panel patient in the majority of case* is genuinely treated by the pane'l doctor, whatever his ailment. What is more to the point is that slowly but surely the panel system, by making it easier for the people to consult a doctor in the early stages of disease, is" becoming a remedial 'agency and so tending to be a continuation of the school medical service, the efficacy of which is unquestioned. Such movement* take long in England to overcome ingrained feeling and custom, but that is no reason why a young democratic country like Xew Zealand should set out expecting to meet the same difficulties. My experience is fairly large,. am l in the same districts as and I feel it is only fair to the English system and those panel doctors I have known to say a word in their defence. ENGLISHWOMAN*.