Doctors’ fees

Press, 18 June 1986, Page 18

Doctors’ fees

Sir,—The average person is capable of understanding that a 25 per cent cut in the subsidy of practice nurses’ wages will mean an increase in doctors’ fees and, more importantly, a lower standard of primary health care. If people are unable to cope with the extra fees or the longer wait in the waiting room due to the increased load on the doctor, they will go to the hospital, where the cost to the taxpayer will be tenfold. If I can understand this then I am sure the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, can. Perhaps if he cannot beat doctors by controlling their fees, he will beat them by removing the practice nurses’ subsidy. This is frightening when one realises that taxpayers’ money is involved. At least I can have my say on polling day.—Yours, etc.,

PAULINE DAVIES. June 15, 1986.

Sir,—May I point out to A. S. Helm (June 7) that the recently reduced practice nurse subsidy is available only to general practitioners. If he rereads the advertisement which he uses to fuel his argument and quotes as “Practice Nurse required, must have typing skills,” I am sure he will find he has omitted the word “specialist.” Specialists have no subsidy; there is no conflict.— Yours, etc., S. W. SINCLAIR. June 11, 1986.