HEALTH SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1938, Page 10

HEALTH SERVICE

THE BRITISH POSITION

REPLY TO DR. JAMIESON

"Dr. '^ramieson's suggestion that my quotations from Dr. Brackenbury are I incomplete and misleading is not only unfair !but contrary to fact, and cannot be /substantiated," writes Dr. D. G. McMillW M.P. "I repeat my challenge to him. to come on to the public debating to line his statements up witai mine, give the public an opportuntty to hear both sides of the case, a/hd then judge which is best — the Got vernment's or Dr. Jamieson's, and wJ lose statements are the more accurate; his or mine.

"In ti is statement Dr. Jamieson fails to makj a a clear differentiation between his ow. n opinions and those of Dr. Bracks nbury. "Thq point I make in reference to Great jlßritain is that before the scheme was -irai 1 troduced the doctors opposed it, saying, that it would lower the standard of medical practice in Great Britain. ' Even after they commenced to work: the scheme the representative body ( passed a motion recording its emphaitic protest against the 'discreditable' adopted by the Govern*mentj to compel them to. give unwilling service on terms which 'this meeting considers to be derogatory to the profession and against the public interesi.' Now the parent body of the B.MJk. says that it has been an undoubi ;ed success.

"Mi/ logical and reasonable argument is that just as the conscientious douhjts and fears expressed by the British doctors proved groundless, so, too, iuvill those which are being conscien; tiously expressed by many New Zealand doctors today.

: "Djr. Jamieson says: 'In his reference'; to the standard of medical prac-tice!-inside and outside the insurance scheune, Sir Henry Brackenbury's compariscm related to health insurance practice and similar practice under priv^ te contract with societies.' That is nq t so. I have* it here before me— November 12, 1927: 'Dr. Brackenbury belie .ved personally that ori the whole the insurance medical service was rather higher than the other in its general level of efficiency, though this was not capable of proof.' Again, 'It is si if c to say that the quality of the sen* ice rendered is at least as high amqng insurance doctors as it is, say, in girivate practice.' "In reference to his: visit to New Zea land, Sir Henry said: 'I found, too, thai; among the general body of practitioners there was still a considerable 3. ignorance of the working of the National Health Insurance system in Gr< :at Britain, and a misconception of its,1 results alike to the public and the profession.'"