MEDICAL BENEFITS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 136, 5 March 1941, Page 8

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Both Lyttelton Doctors To Undertake Contracts AGREEMENTS SIGNED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 4. The two Lyttelton doctors, Dr. C. H. Upham and Dr. B. H. Gilmour, have agreed to supply medical treatment under the medical benefits section of the Social Security Act. "Of course we have,” replied Dr. Upham when asked if a report that he and Dr. Gilmour had signed agreements was correct. “It is the very thing for us.

“It may be different for us down here,” added Dr. Upham when his attention was drawn to a recent statement of the president of the Canterbury division of the 8.M.A., Dr. L. C. L. Averill, that the members of the profession were numerically and physically incapable of undertaking the contracts relating to the general practitioner service under the Act.

Apart from confirming that he had agreed to supply the service, Dr. Gilmour bad no comment to make. A few applications have been received at the Lyttelton Post Oilice for medical benefit application and agreement cards. There are only the two doctors in Lyttelton, so that the residents of the port will receive free medical attention. Lyttelton is believed to be the first borough to come entirely under the scheme.

EXTENT OF INQUIRY FOR CARDS

Reports From Centres

Wellington: Figures were not available in Wellington yesterday when inquiries were made from the Chief Post Office as to the number of applications for cards for medical benefits under the Social Security Act. When inquiries were made from the Department of Health as to whether any agreement forms signed by doctors had been received by the department it was explained that all such forms are to be sent into the district officers. Up to late yesterday afternoon no information on the matter had been received from the district officers. Auckland: Only a few people so far have applied at the Auckland Chief Post Office for medical benefits application cards, and none bearing doctors’ endorsements have yet been received at the Auckland office of the Health Department. Wanganui: There has been little inquiry so far in the Wanganui district for benefit cards, the public apparently taking the view that if the doctors will not sign the cards there is not much use in people collecting them. Up to last night the only card issued In Wanganui was to a journalist who required one for reference purposes. Raetihi people also have not availed themselves of the scheme so far, no cards having been issued there. A few inquiries regarding the operation of the scheme have been made at the post office, however. In Taihape inquiries for cards have been few and there has been no demand for cards in Marton. Waverley residents have not shown much interest either. One man who called at the Waverley Post Office to inquire about the free medical benefits scheme said that if he could not get a doctor to sign the card he would undergo treatment and would send the doctor’s bill to the Minister of Health. f .

Christchurch: Though a supply of application cards for medical benefits was received at the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, on Saturday morning, only six cards had been applied for by 3.30 o’clock on Monday, and no agreement forms signed by doctors had been received by the Health Department by the evening. According to the regulations, the patient’s doctor, if willing, will countersign the card and be responsible for sending it to the local Medical Officer of Health, but Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, the Canterbury officer, in reply to an inquiry on Monday evening, said he had not had any cards yet. It was suggested at the post office that a reason for the small number of applicants so far might be that many people were unaware that the cards had arrived.

Dunedin: Cards have been applied for by about 400 persons from the Chief Rost Office. Cards were first made available on Saturday. It is understood that so far only two Dunedin doctors have signified their willingness to countersign cards.