MEDICAL CRITIC

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 162, 5 April 1938, Page 12

MEDICAL CRITIC

B.M.A. Branch President’s Opinion THE THINGS OMITTED “Enthusiasm For PoliticoSocial Ideal” “The proposals for national insurance put before the public by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, on Saturday evening last are remarkably at variance with the suggestions offered by the medical profession, at the request of the Government, both to its appointed investigation committee and to members of Cabinet,” said the president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. P. S. Jamieson, in an interview with “The Dominion” last night. Dr. Jamieson is also chairman of the national health insurance committee of the association.

“The profession,” he continued, “has consistently advocated that whatever measures were undertaken should be directed toward assisting the people to meet their needs in regard to medical service where these needs press most heavily. But the Prime Minister’s proposal of a free general practitioner service provides the one item of medical service to which the people now’ have the most ready access. It omits the very things—in particular, laboratory and specialists’ services—which are more difficult to obtain and are essential for the accuracy of diagnosis necessary for the efficiency of the general practitioners’ services.

“The principle of offering assistance to those who cannot provide fully for themselves has been adopted in the proposal relating to the superannuation and pensions scheme; and it is difficult to see why the same principle has been departed from in the proposal for national health insurance. It would appear that in this respect the Government’s proposals are based on enthusiasm for a politico-social ideal rather than on the real health requirements of the people of this country.”

INCREASE NEGLIGIBLE

War Veterans’ Allowance

"An increase of 5/- a week in the war veterans’ allowance would be negligible as far as we are concerned,” said an official of the War Relief Association of Wellington when interviewed. He referred'to the disinclination of numbers of men to work through fear of losing the allowance, and expressed the view that this evil would be intensified' with an increase in the weekly payments and in the maximum income allowance.

A war veteran, it was explained, was a man who by reason of some physical disability arising from war w*as unable to enter into work of a permanent nature. The majority suffered from complaints such as arthritis and rheniuatism. “We shall still have ■to go on assisting these men,” said the official. “Many of them have been looking forward to this legislation, and in fact they have been expecting an allowance of £3 a week. At present it is £1 a week, with 15/- for a wife and 5/- for each child. The maximum income to be earned is £39 a year, making a total for a man with one child of £2/15/- a week. Consequently numbers of men have been unwilling to earn more than 15/- a week, because that would mean losing the allowance. This has been the case" particularly with single men. With the allowance made more attractive still, this attitude could be expected to become even more prevalent. . “Rising costs in industry have closed most avenues of employment to these partially disabled men,” the official concluded. “There are numerous jobs for which they are fitted, but employers simply cannot afford nowadays to pay full wages for partial work.”

AMERICAN STUDENT OF HEALTH PLANS

Australian Scheme Felt To Be Solution Dominion Special Service. Auckland, April 4. Principles of national health schemes were analysed by Dr. George W. Swift, specialist in brain surgery, of Seattle, Washington, who was a through passenger by the Monterey, during a short visit to Australia to attend the conference of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Dr. Swift collected 'data on the Australian national health service with a view to its use In America. He said he was impressed with the intermediate service' in operation in Melbourne, where patients paid whatever lay within their power without relying entirely on charity. “Members of the medical profession in America are opposed to the principle of State charity,” said Dr. Swift. “The burden is an enormous one for the nation to undertake, although apparently New Zealand has such a scheme in view. Judging by the experience of England in this matter, doctors lose their incentive to become more proficient at their work. They seem satisfied to accept what little income is available, looking no further forward to improve themselves. Undoubtedly in the end it is the public‘ who must suffer.” The solution of socialised medicine seemed to lie in the Australian scheme. Dr. Swift continued. It discouraged people to depend on charity. They were permitted to choose their own doctor and hospital, and they paid independently as much as they could. It offered everyone a chance of safeguarding bis health within moderate financial limits. Moreover, it offered doctors independence, in the footsteps of which efficiency must follow. “I visited several hospitals in New Zealand and Australia during my trip to these parts.” Dr. Swift said. “I was present at a number of operations and was impressed with the excellency of tin brain surgery being done in these countries; Both places are fortunate in having fine and brilliant surgeons.’ Dr. Swift was accompanied by Mrs. Swift, who has collected many roots of native ferns from' New Zealand and a variety of bulbs of wild orchids from Australia for presentation Io the Seattle parks department