PROTEST BY DOCTORS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 20 February 1935, Page 13

PROTEST BY DOCTORS

OUT-PATIENT TREATMENT PRIVATE FEE CHARGES STR ATFORD DEPUTATION. The Stratford Hospital Board .'Ccently decided te institute an open out-patient department at the hospital for the unrestricted treatment of patients at private fee rates. At a meeting of the board yesterday an emphatic protest was received from the private practitioners of Stratford against the procedure. The protest was made by letter, which, signed by Drs. Doris Gordon, \V. P. P. Gordon, B. B. Armstrong and D. Steven, gave the following reasons : “No necessitous or urgent case has ever suffered, or need suffer, because of the lack of an out-patient department. “We consider it unfair for a public institution which we, with other ratepayers support, to enter into direct competition with private enterprise. “It is, in our opinion, an added and unnecessary expense to the ratepayers.”

Tho board met the doctors in tlie afternoon and following the conference, notice of motion to rescind the board’s resolution was given by the chairman (Mr W. L. Kennedy).

HAWERA SYSTEM CRITICISED

The letter outlined their three main points, said Dr W. P. P. Gordon. He considered that the tjact that, tho system was adopted in other centres was not a sound reason for its adoption at Stratford. He criticised the Hawera system. In most other centres it was necessary for a patient to show why he should not avail himself of a private practitioner before coming to an out-patient department. Mr Kennedy enquired whether the board would be competing with practitioners if only half fees were charged. Dr Gordon: That is the- Hawera system, and it is worse than this one Mr Kennedy: You are in favour of an indigent out-patient depai'tment ? Dr Gordon: Yes. Dr B. B. Armstrong thought that for all ordinary attention the public was amply provided for without an open out-patient department. “If a man is unable to pay we will give free attention,” he said. “No man should suffer through being unable to pay a private fee.” Dr Sfr. Gordon suggested an arrangement. If a patient came to a private practitioner and said he could not pay, and the practitioner knew that that ivas correct, the practitioner could give him a certificate for attention at an out-patient department. Mr G. P. Harkness: That means you get the patients who pay and we have the ones that will not. Dr Gordon: Exactly. But is not that what your board is constituted for ? PROVISION EOR RATEPAYERS. The discussion was continued following the retirement of the doeto/rs. Mr Anderson pointed out that ratepayers who supported the hospital were not able to use it. They were paying for the hospital and yet when they wished to use it they had to pay a practitioner an examination fee before they could obtain admission. He did not mind what other centres didThe board should endeavour to work amicably with the doctors of the town, said the chairman. In his opinion the board should rescind the motion pre-, viously passed and act in accordance with Dr Watt’s recommendation. Mr Anderson: I’m definitely sticking to my guns on this resolution. It’s not a question of competition at all. It’s a question of service. We have here a young doctor fresh from the most modem schools, and it is only right, that the ratepayers should be able to avail themselves of his ser vices.

Mr Kennedy gave notice of motion that that part of the resolution dealing with the open out-patient department be rescinded. The resolution involved reads: “That an out-patient department be opened, the fees to he the same ns those charged by the medical practitioners in the district and that tho medical superintendent be authorised to admit any patient he thinks fit into hospital. Hours of attendance for outpatients to he defined by the medical superintendent. ’ ’