“MEANS TEST” CEASES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 256, 26 July 1935, Page 7

“MEANS TEST” CEASES

Decision by Hospital Board

CLINICAL TREATMENT

A.uy person, whether or not bo is in receipt of 15/- a week or over per head of his family, will now be eligible for treatment at the outpatients’ aud dental departments of Wellington Hospital. This decision was made unanimously after a discussion by the Wellington Hospital Board last night. The motion making the alteration in the board’s regulations was moved by Mr R. Holland The regulation had provided that only those receiving under 15/- a week were entitled to the attention. The hospitals were created by tne State, and they had no right to refuse to treat persons in the outpatients' and dental departments, said Mr. Holland. The board could not allow any question of income to influence its treatment of a person in need of attention All must receive their full share of medical attention He and the others with him had pledged themselves to do away with "this means test." The people hit more than anyone else were middle-class workers, said Mrs S E. O. Snow. They could not afford to pay the guineas required by a specialist. and they were debarred from the departments.

As a medical man be would support the motion, said Dr. D M Wilson, amid handclaps from the Labour members. No one had' very much sympathy with the "means test,” said the chairman Mr. F. Castle, but it had been created by the expense caused by too many people coming for attention. Asked by Mr. Castle what was proposed to take the place of the test, the reply of Mr. Holland and Mr. A. W. Croskery was. “Nothing ” Mr. Castle raised a point that the departments were served by honorary staffs.

It was an enormous hardship on the many people who could not afford to pay special medical fees, Mr. Croskery said.