LODGE DOCTORS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1916, Page 3

LODGE DOCTORS

DISPUTE WITH FRIENDLY SOCIETIES HISTORY OP THE TROUBLE RESIGNATIONS OF MEDICAL MEN.. THE PEESENT POSITION. ■ The dispute between the medical men and the friendly societies Is one that has created a good deal of interest, not only in Wellington, but throughout New Zealand, and yesterday Mr 0. S. S. Kelly (secretary of the Wellington United Friendly Societies' Medical Conference) made the following statement to a Post reporter regarding the trouble :— "Before dealing with the question of the dispute between the friendly societies of Wellington and the lodge doctors, it will be necessary to outline the conditions under which tho lodges and doctors have been working.

"Members of friendly societies contribute from Is to Is 6d, or a little more, per week, according to age, for all benefits, which means an annual payment varying from £2 12s to £3 10s per annum. Out of this sum 15s is paid to the doctor, and 6s to the dispensary, leaving the balance to provide for the payment of sick benefits, funeral benefits, and management expenses. Each quarter the doctor is provided with a list of financial members, and he is paid for all the members on this list, whether they are sick or not. For instance, a doctor who had 100 members on his list would receive £18 15s for the quarter, making an annual payment .of £75. Doctors were only required to attend members and their families in their own homes when the sick were physically incapable to attend the consulting rooms. Doctors did not provide medicine —only advice and attendance. All operations and accouchements were charged for by the doctors to friendly society members as private patients. "Under the system in vogue prior to the dispute, there was no limit to the number of doctors that friendly societies could engage, and herein lies the root of the trouble.

PAYMENTS TO DOCTORS.

" Every doctor commencing practice in Wellington generally applies to the friendly societies for engagement as lodge doctor, with the result that the majority of doctors practising were also lodge doctors. The combined lodges of Wellington paid something like £4000 per annum to the lodg_e doctors, and the mora doctors, of course, who participated the less the dividend lor each, whereas, if the work was confined to four, five, or six doctors, quite a large salary would be earned by each. " In August last, the doctors handed in their resignations, giving the requisite three months' notice. They then called the representatives of the friendly societies together, and handed them a fresh agreement which _ they wished to work under, the principal clause of this new agreement being, of course, the increased remuneration. Under this clause they demanded the sum of £1 4s per member per annum. They also inserted other clauses most irritating to friendly society members, the principal one being a fee of 5s per visit For any call made after 8 p.m. and before 8 a.m.

"The friendly societies duly considered the new agreement and appointed delegates to attend a conference for the purpose of dealing with the question. This conference considered every clause, and amended them where t.he members considered necessary. They carefully considered the finances of their societies, and found it impossible to pay the increased remuneration without passing it on to the members.

A FRUITLESS CONFERENCE.

r> " The amended agreement, which conceded many of the minor demands made, but jeaving remuneration at 15s per annum, was submitted to the doctors, and another conference took place between them and representatives of the conference. This conference lasted several hours and all points were fully discussed. The difficulties of the friendly societies were placed before the doctors, and they seemed impressed by what the members placed before them. During the course of the conference they were asked whether they would consider an increase from 15s to 18s. This, and all other points raised, the doctors intimated, would receive their careful consideration, and the result of their deliberations would be submitted to the conference. The doctors were asked whether the dispute was to be considered as t one between the British Medical Association and the lodges, and they replied emphatically no. They informed the conference that it was only a matter between the lodge doctors and the lodges. They also intimated that the demand of .243 was only of a temporary nature, that after the waT they wanted -30b at least, and considered that they were underpaid even at that rate, in fact, they hinted that £2 4s would be little enough for. the work performed. "After an elapse of a fortnight, the doctors replied; through their secretary, that they would not accept any sum lees than £1 4s.

" The conference of the friendly societies again met to consider their position, and. taking into consideration the attitude of the doctors at the conference, that even if they signed an agreement at tho 24s rate it would only be a patched-up affair; and that before very long the doctors would again make demands. They also considered that under the present system they would never be satisfied with the remuneration. ' The system, they decided, must be changed, and now was the opportune time to do it. The doctors were therefore written to and informed that in view of their reply negotiations were considered ended.

A "WARNING NOTICE."

"The next move was by the British Medical Association, which inserted the following advertisement in the New Zealand papers, and also sent a printed circular to doctors, warning them from accepting appointments with the Wellington friendly societies : ' Warning Notice. Medical practitioners are hereby warned against entering into contract with the Wellington friendly societies without first having communicated with the secretary of the Wellington division of the British Medical Association.'

"On this notice appearing in the papers the following was sent to the secretary of the Wellington division of the British Medical Association : ' In reference to your notice in the Wellington papers, warning medical practitioners against entering into any agreement with the Wellington friendly societies, I would be pleaded to know what action the British Medical Association is proposing to take in this matter, as we were given to understand by the doctors concerned that the disagreement was only between themselves individually and the friendly societies of Wellington.'

" The following reply was received from the secretary of the Wellington division of the British Medical Association :' In reply to your communication of 13th December, I have to state that when negotiations between the lodge doctors and friendly societies reached ;i deadlock, a special meeting of the Medical Aesoci&tion was called, and it was

then unanimously decided to support ths doctors. The matter therefore became an Association question, and instructions were given by the Association to insert the publication referred to and about { other matters ' To which w© replied : ' With reference to the attitude taken by the Wellington division of the British Medical Association in respect to the circumstances causing the medical men engaged in friendly societies work in this city to hand in their resignations, and our recent correspondence in connection therewith, I have been directed by the conference of friendly societies' delegate* to expi-ess our surprise at the action taken by your association in instituting a boycott without first enquiring from us the conditions under which the societies propose to engage their medical officers.' So far, no reply has been received to the above letter.

MUCH DISSENSION CAUSED.

" The combined friendly societies are prepared to engage five or six doctors for their work and to pay them at the rate of £500 per annum, with the right of private practice—i.e., operation and accouchements for members at a scale of charges arranged, and also to the general public at fees arranged by themselves. It is contended that this salary is quite adequate and that the societies are meeting the doctors in a fair and just spirit, and paying a much higher salary than what is paid to many doctors in the Dominion at the present time employed by the Government and hospitals. It is also contended that under the old system the service was at times unsatisfactory, many of the members complaining that when they visited the consulting rooms they were treated more as charitable aid patients than members of societies paying for services rendered, and made to feel their position lather keenly. This position has caused more exits from the societies than any other causes. By having their own medical officers this trouble would be overcome, as the cure and attention of friendly society members would be the first consideration. Another matter that the societies consider as most inconsistent on the part of the doctors is the fact that they, after informing the combined friendly societies that they would accept nothing less than 245, agreed to attend three lodges which withdrew from the conference .for the 'sun? of £1 Is per annum. It is understood, however, that, this agreement is causing some dissension amongst the ranks of the doctors, as the lodges in question reduced the medical attendants by four, so as to give the remainder a fair salary. This principle the doctors oppose, as they do not want the lodge work confined to a few, but want it distributed amongst those caring to take up friendly society work, thus, of course, reducing the salaries considerably.

" The experience of the friendly society men in this city was that there was no difficulty at all in securing doctors under the old system, and any doctor commencing practice first applied for appointment, being quite content with the fee offered, as it was not only a means of obtaining a stipulated sum, but also brought him private practice. Friendly societies did not have to advertise for doctors, as there were always doctors applying to be appointed. The friendly societies contend that the remuneration paid is quite adequate, but the whole trouble is that too many doctors are engaged on the work. . They contend that under their new proposal they are dealing fairly with the medical men. They are offering liberal salaries and conditions for their own medical officers, and therefore cannot understand the boycott.

DOCTORS ADVERTISED FOR.

"The societies are now advertising for their own medical officers, and trust to be able to make their appointments shortly. In the - meantime, all the societies except a few of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, have decided to pool their medical pence, and arrangements have been made whereby every care and attention will be given to our members until such, time as we appoint our own medical officers and form a United Friendy Societies Medical Institute.

"In this issue we are calling for applications from medical men at a salary of £500 per annum, and feel sure that no difficulty will be found in obtaining competent officers.

"Some weeks ago there appeared in one of, the daily papers the statement that the Oddfellows had made their own arrangements, aiid that the rest of the societies had made no headway in procuring their medical men. We wish to state that it is contrary to fact, and should not have been inserted without first enquiring if the statements, therein were correct. In the first place, only about half of the Oddfellows have arranged for medical officers, and since that paragraph appeared in print the Loyal Antipodean Lodge, numbering some hundreds of members, have decided to support the combined conference in the forming of our Medical Institute in Wellington."