Tribunal costly to doctors—Minister

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 4

Tribunal costly to doctors—Minister

PA Auckland Doctors who wanted a tribunal to consider the level of maternity benefits had forgone money in the hand in the hope of being awarded more, said the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett. The Government refused last month to raise the benefits by as much as the Medical Association wanted and the doctors asked for a tribunal to decide the matter. The National Government agreed in April, 1982, to increase the benefits 15 per cent but stopped the rise

after the price freeze was imposed two months later. When the freeze ended this year, National said the benefits would increase only 3 per cent, in line with other subsidies on rest homes and chemists’ fees. The benefits until then were $6 for a consultation and $BB a delivery. The Medical Association asked for the original 15 per cent increase with a further rise to cover inflation since 1982. It rejected a Government offer for a smaller increase. “It would seem they have forgone money in the hand in. the hope the tribunal will

award then} more,” Dr Bassett said in-Auckland. “It doesn’t seem beyond the realms of possibility that the tribunal will award them vary little more than the original offer. “It might take up to a year for the tribunal decision and they might have achieved almost nothing but cost themselves huge expenses at the same time,” he said. The chairman of the Medical Association, Dr Dean Williams, said doctors went to the tribunal because the Government’s offer was abysmal. He would not comment further.