Medical Assn has hopes of success

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 1

Medical Assn has hopes of success

By

CINDY BAXTER,

health reporter The New Zealand Medical Association hopes that the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, will regard its proposals on the child general medical services benefit scheme in a new light when it meets on Friday. The association’s chairman, Dr John Broadfoot, said in Wanganui yesterday that Dr Bassett’s previous linking of an increased child benefit with a limit on doctors’ fees was still “totally non-negotiable.” However, the association’s original proposals to use its regional disciplinary committees to make sure the benefit was passed on to patients would be put to the Minister again.

“The essence of it is for us to make sure that if the Minister approves the G.M.S., patients get that reduction in the price they pay to see their doctor.”

“We have already assured him that that will happen,” he said. Dr Broadfoot said that the regional disciplinary committees were already set up, and each one had lay representation. “These two lay persons on each committee are Ministerial appointments, so he has his interests covered.” There was “no logical reason" why Dr Bassett would not accept the proposal, he said. “Before Christmas Dr Bassett was intent on pursuing his own course—to link the increased benefit to a limit on fees, but he has no objective reasons for that now,” said Dr Broadfoot. A referendum held by the

association last September showed that the majority of doctors were happy to limit voluntarily their fees for at least six months, said Dr Broadfoot. “Our problem is that a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. We cannot be sure what the members would think now.” The association was trying to find out quickly what the feeling was. Some doctors could feel very differently because of some of Dr Bassett’s recent statements against them, he said. "Doctors, nowever, are quite forgiving and I would expect them to look at the idea seriously because of their regard for their patients.” Dr Broadfoot was

surprised that Dr Bassett did not originally push for a change to the legislation at the heart of the debatesection 117 of the Social security Act—when first introducing the scheme. He was not critical of the temporary scheme announced yesterday, saying that it was an “obvious attempt” to protect those children already benefiting from the scheme. The expiry date of the new scheme—January 31, 1986—was “surprising.” Dr Broadfoot said he hoped the Minister was not intending to delay negotiations with the association for so long. Dr Broadfoot said that he had hopes for a settlement soon. Further report, page 3