SOCIALISATION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 286, 3 December 1941, Page 11

SOCIALISATION

MEDICAL SERVICE AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS (0.C.) SYDNEY, November 29. Plans for the socialisation of the medical profession in Australia to provide the people with a complete national medical and hospital service have been submitted to the Federal Government by the Australian Health Council. The plans would cost £13,000,000 for the first establishment year and would involve amalgamation of all existing Federal and State health services. The cost would comprise: Initial capital cost, £5,600.000; annual maintenance, £1,600.000; salaries of doctors, nurses and administrative expenses, £5.980,000 annually. The whole of Australia would be divided into health districts to which doctors paid by the Commonwealth would be attached. Sydney would have 35 districts and 735 doctors who would draw £780,750 a year in salaries. It is proposed that salaries should range from £800 a year for junior general practitioners to £1650 for senior doctors and surgeons. .It is estimated that the scheme could be carried out in the whole of Australia with 1840 doctors, instead of the 2572 now practising. Total annual doctors' salaries would be £1,958,800. As far as hospitals are concerned the scheme follows the lines recently forecast, with central hospitals for specialist cases and suburban and country smaller hospitals for lesser ones. District health officers would also supervise antenatal clinics, baby health centres, and school and industrial health services. A conference of the Commonwealth, the States, the medical profession and others concerned will probably be held next year to consider the proposals.