Government And Plunket Society; Full Agreement

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29250, 7 July 1960, Page 3

Government And Plunket Society; Full Agreement

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 6. The Prime Minister (Mr Nash) today announced that full agreement had been reached between the Government and the Plunket Society on all points under discussion. The keynote of the agreement would be complete co-operation between the Health Department and the Plunket Society, and the introduction of proposals recommended by the Consultative Committee on Infant and Pre-school Health Services, Mr Nash said.

Mr Nash said that the main features of the agreement were complete co-operation between the society and the department; the appointment of a child health council to advise the Minister of Health and his department; the implementation of the recommendations of the Consultative Committee in respect of Karitane hospitals, and provision for the expansion of Plunket services in rural areas where required.

Yesterday the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health (Mr Mason) and the Director-General of Health (Dr. H. B. Turbott) held discussions - ith the Dominion council of the Plunket Society. The final discussions, which concluded this morning, were attended on behalf of the society by the Dominion president (Mrs H. J. Rybum); the’ director of nursing services (Miss J. G. Mackay); the Dominibn secretary (Miss K. P. Rapps), the director of medical services (Dr. Neil C. Begg', Dr. J. M. Watt, and Mr P. O. Smellie. “On behalf of the Government, I welcome this important agreement with a body that has become identified with New Zealand’s high standing in health and welfare services, particularly for mothers and babiej,” said Mr Nash. “I feel sure the agreement will remove any misunderstanding between the society and the Health Department, and ensure the-continuity of the great service rendered by the Plunket Society, in co-operation with the Government"

The terms of the agreement are: “Rural' Areas.— The duplication

-t services in rural districts has been a cause of concern, and a troublesome topic between the society and the department. The Consultative Committee stated categorically that such duplication’should be avoided. While the department must maintain its total family service public health nurse in rural ar?as, it will cooperate with the society in the desired expansion of Plunket services in less populated areas. Such extensions will be agreed to in all places where the number of mothers and babies desiring such service warrants the appointment of a Plunket nurse

“Co operation between public health and Plunket nursing services.—The public health nurse •gives a generalised nursing service to the community, while the Plunket nurse gives a specialised service to a particular age group. It has already proved possible, by full co-operation between the public health nursing service. Plunket branches and Plunket nursing service, to service rural districts with generalised nursing services, sometimes through the former and sometimes through the latter nursing Service. This is the earnest of the possibility of the agreement for full co-operation. While these patterns are not cited as lin.s of policy for the future, they are evidence that co-opera-tion has been achieved in the past. The department holds that there should be full co-operation between the two services, and will strive for that end. In this, it will have the advice and help of the advisory council. “Child Health Council.— The department prefers to set up an advisory committee on child health and is supported in this by the Board of Health. On the other hand, the Plunket Society desires the pattern of a child health council as pictured in the report of the Consultative Committee. There is no essential difference in the type of representation desired in either pattern The department therefore is quite happy to see a child health council set up as an advisory body to the Minister of Health and his department. The department will willingly provide the services of a permanent secretary, and such other facilities as may be necessary to further the work of the council.

“Karitane' Hospitals. The recommendations—number 2 to 7 —of the Consultative Committee can be accepted without reservation. Specifically, this means: “(1) That the Karitane hospitals now in operation shall be left in their present ownership and under their present control. The committee’s view that the establishment of new Karitane hospitals should be discouraged is accepted. (Recommendation 2.)

“(2) That should any new hospitals of the Karitane type be required in the future thev should be provided and maintained by the appropriate hospital boards (Recommendation 3 >

“(3) That the Karitane hospitals shall be licensed as private hospitals (under the Hospitals Act, 1957, and then receive in lieu of the present benefit of 13s 6d a day each for mother and baby, the benefit payable to class B hospitals. This benefit is currently £1 Qs 6d a day and. as in the case of the existing benefit, would be payable for both mother and baby. (Recommendation 5.) “(4) That on the licensing of the Karitane hospitals as above, the present subsidy of £2 for £3 paid on all voluntary contributions (but not testamentary bequests) towards the maintenance and running expenses of the Karitane hospitals, shall be replaced by a subsidy at the rate of 5s lid in the £ This subsidy represents 25 per cent of the present benefit of £1 0s 6d for class B hospitals, and it will be maintained at this percentage rate of the benefit as it may be from time to time (Recommendation 5.)

“The society will recollect that the necessary applications to enable it to apply for the licensing of its Karitane hospitals were sent to it with .the Minister of Health’s letter of April 6. 1960 When these are completed and lodged with the Health Department immediate action to license the hospitals will be taken, and the new rate of benefit and subsidy will then operate. Meanwhile the society will continue to receive both benefit and subsidy: at the existing rate. >

“(5) That the present practice of paying a £ for £ subsidy on the cost of approved alterations or additions will be continued (Recommendation 6.)

“(6) That the proposals for new hospitals at Auckland and Christchurch and a new nurses’ home in Wellington will je approved, and the Government will undertake to meet half the approved costs of these projects. (Recommendation 7.)”