OPERATION OF HEALTH SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1939, Page 10

OPERATION OF HEALTH SERVICES

MINISTER ANNOUNCES FIRST TWO

BENEFITS

The first of the medical benefits to be made available under the health section of the Social Security Act were'announcd today by the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser). Those applicable.to mental patients will operate from April 1, coincident with the pensions benefits, and it is anticipated that maternity benefits will be available as from May 1. Other medical benefits will come into force as soon as possible after that.

"Naturally enough, a great deal of interest is ♦ being manifested on the question of the commencing dates of the medical, hospital, and other treatment benefits which it is proposed to provide under Part 111 of the Act," said the Minister.

"The arrangements for the benefits involve considerable negotiation with doctors and others who are to provide the actual service to patients, it being ■necessary in most cases to conclude contracts in very specific terms. It is for this reason that special provision was made under section 79 of the Act giving the Minister of Health the necessary power to determine the date (not earlier than April 1) on which any of the several classes of benefits are to be made available.

"As that section expressly provides, the commencing date of each class of benefits as determined by the Minister is to be 'the earliest possible date on which arrangements for their effective administration can be brought into operation.'

"Benefits in respect of mental hospital care are to commence on April 1; that is to say in respect of maintenance and treatment in Government mental hospitals on and after April 1 no charges will be made. Any fees that have accrued before that date will, of course, be recoverable in the usual way. Maternity benefits are to be the next in order of introduction. The terms and conditions which are to form part

of the-respective contracts with doctors, midwives, and maternity nurses and private maternity hospitals have been settled on, and the law draftsman is at. present engaged in putting them into formal order. He also has in hand the relative regulations.

"Within the next fortnight it is hoped to plaice these formal terms and conditions of service before doctors and others concerned, and to invite them to enter into contracts accordingly. Endeavour has been made to ensure that the terms and conditions and the remuneration payable out of the Social Security -Fund are adequate and reasonable, and it is anticipated that there will be a prompt and favourable response from all those eligible to enter into contracts for the respective services. "Making due time iallowance for the receipt of formal acceptances and for the publication of names of those who have contracted to provide service, the commencing date for maternity benefits at present aimed,at is May 1.

"Hospital benefits, i.e., benefits in respect of hospital treatment in public and private hospitals and other approved institutions will, it is anticipated, follow maternity benefits. "Medical benefits "and pharmaceutical benefits are inter-dependent and will therefore be introduced together. However, the completion of arrangements for these benefits has necessarily to stand aside whilst endeavours are being directed to the other main benefits."