Hospitals feel strain

Press, 25 June 1981, Page 4

Hospitals feel strain

Hospital services were strained because people could not afford general, practitioners' fees, the North Canterbury Hospital Board was told yesterday. Mr T. M. McGuigan said it worried him that people went to the accident and emergency department at Christchurch Hospital instead of to a general practitioner. He was referring to a

recommendation by a workring party that an additional resident medical officer be appointed to the department. An increase in attendance of 4.2 per cent had been recorded by the department since 1979. Mr McGuigan said that he was not suggesting restraints on accident and emergency admissions, neither did he support the idea of charging

a fee for care by the department. He wanted the board to make "strong representations” to the Minister of Health (Mr Gair) to increase the general medical services benefit paid to doctors. Mr McGuigan was alarmed that a group of doctors had set a recommended fee of $lO, but he was not criticising them in view of the benefit.

“I am concerned that the hospital is carrying the burden of care which could be provided by the primary health care field.” Mrs L. C. Gardiner said that the general medical services benefit needed to be reviewed but it should be discussed at committee level before any approach was made to tlie Government. The matter was referred to a committee.