Doctors’ charges a disciplinary issue

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33064, 3 November 1972, Page 1

Doctors’ charges a disciplinary issue

Doctors who increased their charges because of increases in medical benefits could be charged with professional misconduct or could be reported to the Remuneration Authority, said Dr W. J. Pryor, Canterbury division member on the central executive of the Medical Association of New Zealand yesterday.

The central executive, he said, had discussed the increases in medical benefits, which came into force on Wednesday, in view of remarks made by the Labour Party spokesman for health (Mr N. J. King, M.P.) and more recent comments by other politicians. Mr King had said that the Government was giving doctors sBm because there was no assurance that they would pass on the increase to patients, but just use it to increase their fees.

Dr Pryor said that a referendum held by the M.A.N.Z. had shown that the majority of doctors were “perfectly happy” to pass on benefit increases to patients—thus patients would have to pay

less from their own pockets I for visits to doctors.

“If. however, a patient feels some doubts on this score, he should have a discussion with the doctor concerned to try to reach an agreement on the matter. "If a patient is still not satisfied about the charge, he can have recourse to the local medical disciplinary committee. Any questioning of a doctor’s fee to the committee should be accompanied by a signed account from the doctor concerned and an explanatory note from the patient.

“The investigating officer for the disciplinary committee of Canterbury division of M.A.N.Z. is Dr J. Brunton,” Dr Pryor said.