N.Z. MEDICAL SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1945, Page 2

N.Z. MEDICAL SERVICE

REPLY TO CRITICISM

WELLINGTON, March 22. The following statement was issued to-night by Dr. E.' H. M. Luke, chairman of the council of the New Zealand branch of- the British Medical Association: '• . “The distorted picture of medical services in this country, given in two recent Australian reports, has caused great indignation among New Zealand doctors. The British Medical Association has consistently opposed the present Government medical scheme, because it so clearly envisaged the very defects of which the foreign statements make so much. At the moment the merits and demerits of the existing order are beside the' point. The integrity of a professional body which has faithfully performed its duties under prolonged. stress is called into question by sweeping and inaccurate statements quite incapable of general application. That a few take advantage of the present situation to enrich themselves at the expense of clinical efficiency does not alter the fact that the great majority of doctors in New Zealand . pursue their calling with skill, devotion, and a full knowledge of their responsibilities. “It is quite erroneous to suggest that all doctors accept the Government system and exploit the . social security fund. Most do not. It is possible for a doctor with a shrewd business head to make £BOOO in one year out of social security services, but only three in the country have that business capacity. The rest are preoccupied with professional work. “The depletion of members due to the exigencies of war (one-third of New Zealand doctors are overseas), and the increase of work due to military boarding and certification have forced nearly all doctors to restrict attendances, not increase them. Neither, on the whole, is it true to suggest that patients have to any significant extent made frivolous calls for attendance. In general the position is well understood, and the public are as considerate as possible in seeking medical attention. “Dr. Dark’s statement that hospital out-patient treatment is primitive is absurd. In general, our hospital boards effectively deal with the vastly increased responsibilities, which the war has placed on them, and the standard of clinical work in New Zealand hospitals-is maintained by most senior specialists. x ln country hospitals conditions compare favourably with those in any part of the Empire. All Dr. Dark’s inaccurate remarks are made to further his advocacy of a State salaried medical service. This we join with the Australian British Medical Association in vigorously opposing. It is no new thing that has befallen the medical profession here and elsewhere. The past can show many; examples that when doctors are fighting a pestilence —in this case .totalitarianism in medicine —some of them are certain io catch the disease.” DR. MCMILLAN’S ESTIMATE. DUNEDIN, March 23. Comment on the Australian criticism of New Zealand’s practitioner medical service was made last evening by Dr. D. G. McMillan, Chairman of the Hospital Board.' “Doctors in Australia,” he said, are preparing to oppose the introduction of social security benefits in that country and just as some New Zealand doctors in opposing the introduction of social security benefits in New Zealand, shamefully maligned the health insurance and medical profession m Great Britain, so too their counterparts and their political assistants in Australia have commenced a cam-, paign of calumny against the health services and medical profession in New Zealand. The medical profession no doubt is well able to defend its own ethics but when„such flagrantly untruthful statements are made about our hospital system it is time that as loyal New Zealanders we called a halt and objected to our good name and national reputation being sullied by being turned into an Australian political football.

As members were aware, the chairman concluded, the outpatient system at Dunedin was largely on the. ap□ointment basis. To say that patients were kept waiting was an untruth and he could say that when the board s new outpatients’ department was completed it would be equal of anything m the world.