STATE MEDICINE IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25289, 15 September 1947, Page 3

STATE MEDICINE IN N.Z.

BRITISH DOCTOR’S VIEWS “SORRY OUTCOME OF EXPERIMENT ” LONDON. September 3. “A partial State medical service has been in continuous operation in New Zealand for the last 10 years, institu- < ted by the Labour Government, which i has remained in office since 1935,” ? wrote Sir Ernest Graham-Little, M.P., , in a letter to the editor of the “Daily Telegraph.” "It is described , as ’free’ though actually it is financed under social security legislation . which mulcts the citizen of over 10 , per cent, of his income. "Since the war the whole position has been fully reviewed in the House ; of Representatives. It was clear that ; there was almost universal dissatisfaction with existing conditions. The . accusation. supported by several speakers, was made that it was ‘common practice for doctors operating the health services to undertake an impossible number of patients, to push them through at the rate of one every five minutes, and if the diagnosis did not disclose conclusive results, to send the patients to the public hospitals, which were consequently filled with trivial cases, and patients seriously ill were crowded out.’ “The Prime Minister, while admitting that he had taken a large share in founding the scheme, was obviously shaken by this evidence and said (using a picturesque comparison which would appeal to his audience) that ‘if patients were being treated like sheep passing through a dip, without proper overhaul, the matter should be investigated, as a change would be indicated as necessary.’ In a subsequent debate the Minister of Health admitted that the abuses of the scheme were such that the Government must seriously consider altering it. “Falling off in Standard” “Other criticisms have been laid against the scheme. For instance, it has been contended that while State doctors drew extravagant incomes from the social security fund, it was extremely difficult to secure any medical attention outside business hours or during the w’eek-end; that there was a definite falling off in the standard of medical practice, from both ethical and clinical viewpoints; and that the absence of incentive to undertake the prolonged training to qualify for the status of specialist has resulted in a serious dearth of skilled physicians and surgeons and consequent discouragement both of medical research and of post-graduate study. "The cost of the security benefits has mounted sharply. During the , year ending March 1 this was £34,819.10a. as against £20.935,481 for the previous year. Figures presented to the House of Representatives some weeks ago showed these particular increases: Drug Bill: £563.000 in 1943 to £1,439.686 in 1947. . x Medical Benefits: £1,016,000 in 1943 to £1.760,574 in 1947. Hospital Benefits: £1,539,000 to £1,986.288 in 1947. “I submit that this sorry outcome of an experiment tried out for 10 years by our kinsfolk overseas should be carefully pondered by our own people and by the medical profession, now threatened by a similar experiment.