Dr Brych ‘accepting new hospital patients’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33583, 11 July 1974, Page 14

Dr Brych ‘accepting new hospital patients’

(New Zealand Press Associat ion>

AUCKLAND. July 10. Dr Milan Brych said this evening that he was still accepting new cancer patients at Auckland Hospital.

He told an enthusiastic audience at a public meeting that the Auckland Hospital Board's decision to give him three months notice had made the situation very difficult for him, but he was not allowing this to interfere with his treatment of patients.

Answering a questioner. Dr Brych said that if he were to be reinsatated he would definitely feel able to continue working alongside other doctors who had given evidence at the recent cancer inquiry. About 700 people attended the meeting, held in the Auckland Town Hall by the newly formed Citizens’ Reform Committee. The committee has been set up to form a pro-Brych ticket to contest this year’s Auckland Hospital Board

election. Members of the audience wishing to be considered as candidates were invited to put forward their names.

The meeting unanimously passed a resolution deploring the “negative attitude” of the present hospital board towards its patients and Dr Brych, and also deploring the alleged failure of the Minister of Health (Mr Tizard) to prevent the cancer inquiry becoming a “trial” of Dr Brych. DEPT URGED Dr Brych, who had agreed to answer questions from the audience, repeated his assertion that the report prepared by the one-man committee of inquiry. Professor R. D. Wright, was “rubbish.” He said he strongly disagreed with Professor Wright’s recommendation that there was no need for a department of oncology (cancer treatment) in Auckland. Dr Brych said every civilised

(Country in the world now had I some sort of oncology or i cancer institute.

He alleged that although 'even the Auckland Hospital [Board had endorsed the concept of an oncology department, the proposal had been [rejected in the inquiry report because it had irritated "a small group of physicians and surgeons who are jealously preserving their domains,”

Mr K. Ryan, Dr Brych’s lawyer during the inquiry, drew applause from the meeting when he hinted that he might consider standing for the Auckland Hospital Board himself.