HIGHER RATE OF PAYMENT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25274, 28 August 1947, Page 2

HIGHER RATE OF PAYMENT

MATERNITY NURSING BENEFIT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 27. The Minister of Health (Miss M. B.

Howard) announced to-day that maternity benefit payable . from the Social Security Fund in respect of nursing services afforded in public and private maternity hospitals was being increased from a maximum of £ll to a maximum of £l5. The new benefit will be at the rate of £1 a day for the day of birth and for each of the 14 following days and will operate on and after September 1. The Minister said the present benefit had operated since 1939. Hospital costs had increased considerably- and most private maternity hospitals had had to seek authority to increase their fees. Improvements in working conditions and shorter hours for nurses end hospital domestic workers were projected, which would contribute further to hospital costs and might call for a further review of hospital charges. The increase in benefit was designed to assist maternity patients to meet the higher fees now being charged by maternity hospitals. The increase was for benefit of patients and must not be by hospital licensees as authority to increase their fees. That could be done only by application to ihe Price Tribunal.