Trust To Sponsor Medical Experts

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31832, 9 November 1968, Page 19

Trust To Sponsor Medical Experts

So successful was the visit of the medical specialists from Britain, Drs Michael and Enid Balint, to Christchurch earlier this year that the Canterbury faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners has set up a lectureship in family medicine to finance further visits by experts, and also possible visits overseas for Canterbury doctors.

A lectureship trust has been set up, with the managing director of the Canterbury Building Society (Mr H. F. Redmond) as chairman. He has begun a scheme to help finance the work of the trust. Members who buy society shares in a particular group agree to assign their rights to ballots to the trust for a period of three years, according to Mr Redmond. The idea was sold as a worthy object and the scheme was dependent on public support, he said.

It was hoped, eventually to have an income of about $5OOO a year for the trust, he said. Mr Redmond said there were more than 100 members in this special group at present. They could still borrow money in the t same way as other members' and would have the right to participate in ballots after three years. He said he hoped that eventually there would be sufficient members buying shares each year to provide finance for the trust indefinitely, r “It is clear that doctors themselves cannot meet the high costs of bringing experts to New Zealand, necessary if they are to keep fully informed of the latest techniques and developments,” Mr Redmond said. There was a need for medical specialists of world repute to be brought to New Zealand, and in the absence of community support through a service or other organisation, this scheme would help meet the need for additional finance, he said. Entitlement tax deductions under ’’ 'ieme had

to be confirmed, and he was investigating the possibility of providing medical insurance for private hospital treatment in the scheme, Mr Redmond said. A medical member of the trust, Dr B. L. Jones, said that the visit of the Balints had been an outstanding success. Dr Michael Balint] was an expert on the teaching of medical practitioners. As well as a good attendance of doctors at sessions dealing with doctor-patient relationships, 45 people, including clergymen, social workers and nurses, had attended interdisciplinary sessions. This had proved a most valuable means of communication for these people. “Discussion with an expert, with an opportunity to ask questions, is of immense benefit and is a most important part of graduate education,” he said. “If doctors are to be as good as possible, the community must contribute to this sort of thing.” The trust already had a guaranteed income of $4OO a year and some doctors had agreed to participate in the building society’s scheme. It was also hoped to gain finance from bequests and other sources.

Dr Jones said Mr Redmond had given valuable help when the Balint visit was being arranged and bad made a loan available to help finance the trip. As yet, said Dr Jones, no arrangements had been made for next year, but he thought the Balints would be brought to New Zealand again within a few years.