STATE MEDICAL SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22317, 3 February 1938, Page 10

STATE MEDICAL SERVICES

C developments is GREAT BRITAIN NATIONAL SCHEMES ADVOCATED i VIEWS OF PROMINENT LONDON SURGEON “State medical services come . . . .” This opinion was express yesterday by Mr E. £ Lindsay, C.8.E., M. 8., B£, F.R.C.S., a noted London formerly of Christchurch, in an ip. terview with a representative “The Press.” Mr Lindsay, who strived in the city yesterday for '» short visit, was born in Chlfit. church and graduated first at Ofagu University. He is now a senior surgeon at the London General Ho* pital, a consulting surgeon to % Poplar Hospital, London, and an <xaminer in surgery at Cambrid|t University. Commenting on the proponl National Health Insurance sdinc in New Zealand, Mr Lindsay aj| that such schemes would, in tint become natural developments in tfe different civilised countries through out the world. He described bne% the gradual trend in Great Bata* particularly in London, to the permanent establishment of mafia! and health schemes,-under the Cairo! of the Government. Aid io Poor Persons The schemes were necessary fc enable the poorer classes to oU» competent medical attention, hj said. Under the system of prinfe practice this had been impcsaUt because these classes were maUt to pay the fees which wer? demanded. Another trouble flat, k many cases, arose from this ->i£p was that many private P*titioners were acquiring patients la income rather than to aa* sufferers. As it was, it WK very seldom that the private practitioner attended to minor A ments, as he sent these cases la w hospitals to be dealt with In London, continued Mrlag say, the London County Ooi|H was, by the gradual developing! a general scheme of opening pitals and providing- compqyl surgeons and physicians, d M MWj a field in medicine which was»known 25 years ago. This he cjfr sidered was the first stage m lie establishment of a medical which would in time embrace » whole nation, oleps v.crc ing taken in other large cites j Great Britain to provide 'SBBW f acuities. Hospital Saving Assodafin* Another scheme which was assisting the slow but sure develop** of a State medical service was tte formation of the Hospital Sansg Association. This establish*** made it possible, by means of WP lar payments to the association, I* persons of the poorer classes to W hospital expenses and doctors ■* when they were suffering from ag ailment. Members of the assocMß* made periodical payments, ■* when it was necesary for the® receive attention they were > mitted to a hospital and alt®*® to by a doctor, the fees and exptSSS being paid by the association- _ This saving scheme was. P; patronised not only by the classes but also by men who*®* earning salaries of. say, year. The income of the assoc**! had risen rapidly, said Mr Lmfflß* and was now nearly £I,OOW>W f year. . * Prominent medical men m Britain had been alive for s** years to the possibilities and sestablishment of State Sr vices. One famous physician JjJ* said some years ago, State medical service has got ■ come, and we have got to try * envisage it.” - » Mr Lindsay said that the Nan** scheme which it was proposed _ establish in the Dominion w*» jW similar to the proposals which*** being made in Great Britain. TDO* was no doubt, he concluded, -**“* this system, if properly adm** tered, would have the desired of giving the poorer classes a vasw improved medical service.