Young British Doctors May Come to N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1949, Page 7

Young British Doctors May Come to N.Z.

AUCKLAND, Feb. 14

Many doctors are leaving England because they are unable to make a reasonable living under the national health scheme, said Dr. F. C. M. Shortt, of Auckland, who returned recently from a visit to Britain and the United States.

A number of young English doctors were going to Canada and some were considering coming to New Zealand because they thought the Dominion’s social security scheme better than Britain’s..

Dr. Shortt, who spent more than a year abroad attending gynaecological clinics, said that rather than be realistic and get the best service possible, British doctors had tried to obstruct, the health service scheme before it was introduced last July. Members of the medical profession did not get together to deal with the scheme. The incomes of general practitioners, particularly those in country areas, had dropped considerably, said Dr. Shortt. Because of the low capitation fee, each doctor needed about 4000 people on his panel to maintain a reasonable income level and they were not available in the country. On the other hand, one doctor could not deal elliciently with such a large panel and main’ of them feared that the standard of medical practice would deteriorate.

They were also concerned about the clinic system, he continued. Doctors now had to send to hospital clinics, all patients requiring further examination.

The doctor at the clinic would then either send the patient to another clinic for a different form of examination or decide where the patient was to be treated.

As a result, many cases were taken out of the hands of the original doctor. It was predicted that general practitioners would tend to degenerate into clerks in a system of mediocrity. Attendances at clinics had increased considerably and doctors were afraid that they would not be able to cope with the work efficiently. People in industrial areas were benefiting under the health scheme, said Dr„ Shortt. Previously, only those in employment were treated under the old panel system. Now everyone was entitled to treatment. However, doctors could not give the required individual attention to the increased number of patients. ’