Paying for treatment move fails

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 20

Paying for treatment move fails

PA J Well ngton A.I.D.S. patients? drug addicts, venereal disease sufferers and] others with "self-inflicted!’ conditions should pay for theif own treatment, says a member of the Wellington Hospital Board, Mr Doug Catley. He told 'the board's policy and finance! committee meeting he was concerned that people admitted to hospitals through no fault of,- their own were facing reduced resources. J "I move, because of self-inflicted medical conditions absorbing an increasing proportion! of our resources, that costs associated with administering treatment to A.I.D.S, patients, ; drug-addicted patients, venereal disease and alcohol-offence related patients be bdpe by the recipients of such services.” he said. . j It ..was junfair that people admitted to hospitals through no fault of their own had to suffer a lack of resources because

those with conditions caused by a ‘‘lack of selfdiscipline, permissiveness and a breakdown of social behaviour" were taking up an ever-increasng: proportion. j ! . I Another member; Mrs Valerie Taylor, said I the board was not in. the busi-. ness of making judgments or deciding what was selfinflicted and. [ what ! iwas not.'- ', [ ■! ' She assured Mr Catley that the a!rea health boards were! ,|! based ! on good health practices !and selDcare initiatives which would, it was hoped, make people more |i aware I of healthy lifestyles, d /: Mr Catley said he |w ; as not! saying treatment should be denied- to such people but I believed that when fheyl; had a selfinflicted condition They should bear sbme if! not all the treatment costs. It was important, j the issue was considered now, because in three or four years? it might be too late, he said. j ' The motion was lost.