HOSPITAL FEES

Grey River Argus, 27 February 1925, Page 8

HOSPITAL FEES

AND THE RUNANGA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. 'flic Grey Hospital Board has not. been satisfied with the amount received from the Runanga Medical Association—£3oo per annum —for the treatment of patients from that disrtiut in the Hospital, and after the last meeting representations were made to the Association to this effect. At yesterday’s meeting of the Board a deputation representing the Bunanga Medical Association waited upon the Board with regard to th c matter. The deputation, the personnel of which consisted of Messrs Duggan and Kennedy, was introduced by Mr Williams. Mr Duggan stated that the deputa tion had come with a definite mandate. In the past the Association had paid the sum of £3OO a year to the Hospital Board, and the opinion was expressed at Runanga that if the sum were increased to £450 per annum—a 50 per cent increase—that would meet thc demands of the Board. Thc doctor at Runanga had been responsible I to a certain extent for thc large number of patients that had been treated at tho Hospital as he, had been sending

many minor cases in for treatment. Thc doctor had, however, given the assurance that iu future the minor cases would be treated at Runanga. He (th<‘ speaker) trusted that the Board would accept thc Association’s offer to increase the contribution to £450. The Chairman, Mr J. Hannan, said that in 192.1-22 thc fees payable to the Board from patients from Runanga, amounted to £B5O. Of that amount a little over £3OO was received. In the following year the amount payable was £591, and the Board received £3OO — i5O per cent . In 1923-24 the fees amounted to £ll.Bl, ami only £3OO was received. In the first half of the year 1924 thc amount due was £322, and £l7O had been received. For the four years, the Board had received 4(1 per cent in fees that were actually payable. The average received from otlsections of the public was 60 per cent. Mr Kennedy; Then you have not done badly if you linxe received 4'l per cent trom people from the mining township. Air Hannan: If that is your opinion, it is not mine. Air Duggan: You don’t know the position of the people out there. Half the time they are not working. Mr Kennedy: Sixty per cent of the men out there arc working half and quarter time. Some of them arc only making nine shillings o’day. Air Hannan: How is it that ilm other propio manage to pay? Mr Kennedy: The men at, Runanga 1 have had a lot of broken lime. W 7 u arc anxious to do a fair thing by the Board, and we think if we increase our payment by 50 per cent., and give you thc assurance that no minor cases will be’ sent in for treatment, it is as much as we can do. Mr Williams said that the reason why the .scheme was first, instituted was that the Board was not receiving enough for individual patients. Now that thc Board had thc assurance of tho Runanga Medical Association that thc doctor would not send in any jininor cases, and that th' 1 amount would be increased by 50 per cent., he was inclined to think that the Board should accept it. After further discussion it was agreed, on the motion of Messrs Irvine pnd Williams that the offer of tho Runanga Aledical Association be given a. twelve months’ trial. A BLACKBALL DEPUTATION Another deputation consisting of Messrs AlcQuilkiu and Hunter was re- ' ceived from thc Aledical Association of Blackball. Air AlcQuilkiu stated that thc deputation had received no instructions trom the rest of thc Association, and anything that was done would have to be notified. Il<- asked when the agreement between thc Board and the Association expired. 'Phe Chairman: In March next. Mr Hunter stated that the Association was hard hit in that it had to pay out CltKKi a year, and it was uh fair l<> put the Association on the same basis as the friendly societies. The latter did not have Io pa v for a doctor. I nless something could lie done, thc Board would have to re\cit to thc old order of things, and collect' ices itself. He thought that if th 1 ' Board, would consent to 50 per cent hi lhe present rale, the Association would accept that. The <’hairiuan : I was going to sug gesl that. We have jiis( accepted a similar offer from Kunaiiga. The matter is to be placed b f n thc Blackball At<‘dic:'l A ociation.