FREE TREATMENT IN WANGANUI

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 142, 12 March 1941, Page 8

FREE TREATMENT IN WANGANUI

No Increase In Patients

Dominion Special Servici

WANGANUI, March 11.

Though free treatment for outpatients under the medical benefits section of the Social Security Act is being given at Wanganui Public Hospital, there has been no increase in the number of patients receiving treatment. The daily average of between 50 and 55 outpatients before the scheme began to operate has been maintained.

The ma'naging-secretary of the Wanganui Hospital Board, Mr. L. V. Kerby, said today that though the scheme was operating no basis of payment had yet been arrived at between the Government and the board, out the board had been asked to give an indication of the cost of the outpatient treatment over the past 12 months so that a basis could be calculated. That would be difficult, said Mr. Kerby, because so many different departments were affected, and separate surveys would have to be made by each of them before the cost could be computed. Referring to the attitude of the Auckland Hospital Board in not giv ing free outpatient treatment till the Government had brought down its reg illations. Mr. Kerby said the problem was more difficult in Auckland, where there were a .vast .number of outpa Merits receiving daily treatment The position would probably be that the board would have to refund fees paid by outpatients since rhe free service was announced by tlie Government.