DOCTORS’ BILL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 6, 2 October 1941, Page 9

DOCTORS’ BILL

Debate On Amended Proposals WOMAN’S VIEWS ■ “The people as a whole want what this Bill is to provide, and will be disappointed if it does not become law before the beginning of next month,” said Mrs. Dreaver (Government, Waitemata), the first speaker when the debate on the Social Security Amendment Bill was continued yesterday. Mrs. Dreaver was applauded at the conclusion of her speech. Various arguments that had been advanced against the Bill were discussed by Mrs. Dreaver. She said that in the south at least the doctors seemed to appreciate that 7/6 or even 5/- in the hand was better than 10/6 in a book of bad debts. It was claimed that the Bill forced a revolutionary and Socialistic change on the medical profession behind the backs of its members serving with the forces overseas, she continued. She believed that everyone in New Zealand appreciated the practical patriotism of these doctors and their efficient service, but they were serving tens of thousands of New Zealanders. The number of men overseas was sufficient to discount to a considerable extent the claim that surgeons and general practitioners in New Zealand were being acutely overworked. Many thousands Of citizens were working hard and without complaint in factory and in home. Mrs. Dreaver said that one of the greatest benefits possible would be a completely free practitioner service. The wives and children of men serving were entitled to such a service. Doctors at one time gave _ honorary service in hospitals, she continued, but this had lapsed with the introduction of social security. The salaries of medical staffs in public hospitals for the year ended March 31, 1940, totalled £114,540, and the following year the total was £190,545, the rise being caused by. the abandonment of the honorary system. She believed that the medical men were entitled “to payment for services rendered, though for more than 30 years they had done magnificent work on an honorary basis. The doctors, when the change came, asked for £6OO a year, and agreement was reached at £5OO. Tn the Auckland Hospital, and the same principle applied generally, besides about 20 on the stipendiary staff, there were 50 members of the visiting staff, she continued. Twenty of them were leading men in the B.M.A. and in the campaign against the Bill. Or the 50 mentioned, 20 were receiving £5OO a year, another 20 £3OO a year, and 10 anaesthetists £2OO a year. “In the past these doctors gave their hours for nothing, and were qui.e happy,” she said. “Today for £lO a week senior men who now call themselves specialists and who came into our hospitals as plain doctors, give nine hours a week service. Many of them give more hours than that, but they are paid for nine hours a week. The other 20 assistant surgeons and physicians are giving nine hours a week and get £6 a week niue hours are all they are expected to give.” Mrs. Dreaver'asked what the doctors were afraid of, and whether there was anything they had to hide.