Report On Doctors After Four Years

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30271, 25 October 1963, Page 12

Report On Doctors After Four Years

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 24. After four years’ work, the committee appointed in 1959 to make recommendations to the Minister of Health on the distribution of medical practitioners in relation to the populations served has completed its report. The 100-page report was delivered to the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) last week.

To-night, Mr McKay said he had not yet had time to study the report which would be referred to the Cabinet for consideration.

In October, 1959, the Minister of Health ait that time, Mr H. G. R. Mason, asked a committee under the chairmanship of a Wellington lawyer, Mr W. J. Kemp, to examine the matter. The New Zealand branch of the B.M.A. raised the issue earlier that year. Other members of the committee represented the 8.M.A., the University of New Zealand and the Department of Health. The B.M.A, representatives were Sir Charles Burns, of Wellington, Dr. L. H. Cordery. of Christchurch, Dr. W P. P. Gordon, of Stratford, and Dr. W J P. Hutchison, of Petone Professor E. G. Sayers, of the University of Otago Medical School, and Mr R. S. V Simpson, of Wellington, were on the committee for the university. The department’s members were Dr. A. W. S. Thompson and Mr A. R. F. Rankin.

There has been increasing interest in the subject of

the shortage of doctors in remote areas such as South Westland where one doctor has been doing the work formerly done by two men. Young doctors trained on State bursaries have been directed to work in such areas and other doctors have been engaged overseas. The committee was charged with considering the general or local over-supply of doctors and any undesirable effects of this, and with considerable alterations to the Social Security Act as it affects the services of doctors. It was asked to report on the training of doctors and the registration of immigrant doctors who have not graduated in New Zealand. The committee held monthly meetings in Wellington and Wellington members held additional sub-commit-tee meetings. Written evidence was supplemented by oral submissions. It is not yet certain whether any immediate action will be taken by the Government, but the size and importance of the report is likely to preclude any substantial work on it before the election.