LITTLE RIVER DOCTOR

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26869, 23 October 1952, Page 11

LITTLE RIVER DOCTOR

PART-TIME PROPOSAL CRITICISED

BOARD MEMBERS ATTACK

HEALTH DEPARTMENT < “If the Health Department liked to get down to tin tacks, do a bit of work, and stay in their offices after a quarter to four, they could get the thing cleared up very quickly,” said Mr J. J. Brownlee, when, the North Canterbury Hospital Board was discussing. yesterday the provision of a doctor tor the Little River district

The secretary (Mr A. Prentice) reported that a Health Department official from Wellington had made an arrangement with Dr. J. Crofts, the board’s senior casualty officer, who had said he would be willing to go to Little River on his afternoon off and one evening a week. Dr. Crofts would leave the board’s employ to go into, private practice at the end of the year. “It seems to me that anything can be done to suit the Health Department, regardless of regulations,” Mr Brownlee said. “If it suits them they can take a horse and dray through their regulations. Dr. Crofts is still a full-time employee of the board, but the financial arrangements are between him and the Health Department. It will be allowing a house surgeon to earn money in his time off. which would be contrary to regulations, and set a precedent.” The chairman (Mr V. C. Lawn) said apparently the Minister of Health (Mr J. R. Marshall) had approved of the arrangement. “Should not the health of the people come first,” said Mr G. C Warren, “If there is* no alternative method, we should agree to it. I would place the health of the. people before regulations.”

In reply to a question by Mr Lawn, the board’s medical superintendent (Dr. T. Morton) said Dr. Crofts’s services would be given away one halfday a week. Mr R. A. Mould said the arrangement was not at all satisfactory, but it was better than nothing. What would happen in the event of ,an accident in one of the back bays? The position would be as it was now. It was undermining the medical services of the

whole of Banks Peninsula. Mr D. S. Dodds said there must be dozens of young house surgeons in England who would be willing to come to New Zealand. If the department advertised the position in England, with a subsidy of £5OO and a free house, the job Would be filled quickly. There were many things the department could do. Mr Brownlee said. It could declare Little River a special area and claim a bursar. The work could perhaps be done on a sessional basis. Mr V. J. Corbett moved that the board should-allow Dr. Crofts to carry through the arrangement. . Dr. Morton said that Dr. Crofts could be spared on Thursday afternoons, if the regulations were left put of the question. “House surgeons in recent years, when off duty for week-ends, have provided a perpetual locum pool for city doctors,” Mr Brownlee said, “The money they have earned they have put in their own pockets. This is putting the seal of approval on that, which is bad for the hospital, doctors, and everyone.” An amendment moved by Mrs G. E. Boyd, that the matter be referred back to the hospital committee, was carried.