FREE MEDICAL SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 179, 26 April 1941, Page 4

FREE MEDICAL SERVICE

Suggested Approach To

Doctors

UNION’S RECOMMENDATION TO MEMBERS

Dominion Special Service.

HASTINGS, April 25.

Steps “best calculated to bring about the general adoption of the Government’s proposals for a free general medical service” are outlined in the following circular sent to trade unionists :r~

“Acting under the advice of the New Zealand Federation of Labour the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Union has been requested to inform members to adopt the following procedure:—

“(1), Recommend all members to make application to the Post Office for the medical benefits cards, and to ask their local doctor to sign the agreement to give medical attention. “(2) Should the doctor refuse to Bign the agreement to give free medical attention, to use the out-patient service of all public hospitals. “(3) As an alternative, attend their ordinary medical adviser, and on receipt of his account tender the medical card to him and again ask him to enter into an agreement to give medical attention in accordance with the regulations. Federation’s Opinion. “The New Zealand Federation of Labour is of the opinion that the course of action indicated above is the one best calculated to bring about the general adoption of the Government’s proposals for a free general medical service. “To assist members to carry out the request of the New Zealand Federation of Labour herein enclosed please find medical benefits . card. A further supply, also children's cards, can be had on application to your nearest post office or this office. Failing being successful in obtaining a doctor to sign ■the medical benefits curd, notify this union of the doctor refusing to sign the card and return your card and cards of family, duly filled in with the name of the doctor selected by you, to this office. These cards will be forwarded to the local Trades Council who will make application to the doctor selected.” Difficulties Foreseen. Discussing the possible effects of the scheme, the chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, Mr. O. Lassen, said that it would be impossible to deal with ar large increase in the numbers of patients at the out-patients departments of the Hawke’s Bay hospitals. The board, he said, had the right to treat out-pa,tieuts only by appointment, and it might have to adopt that course ir the pressure of patients became too great. He said that any interference with the relations existing between the doctors and the board would be most harmful to the patients.