The Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1914. STATE MEDICAL SERVICE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 4 March 1914, Page 4

The Star

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1914. STATE MEDICAL SERVICE.

Delivered every evenlnr by 5 o'olook in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manatahi, Alton, Enrleyville. Patea. Waverley.

A quarter of a century ago probably no one in England, least of all a medical man, would have thought of advocating a State medical service. But Mr Lloyd George's Industrial Insurance Act, whichj in the fond imagination of its author, was to spread blessings over a contented and grateful land, has feng'endered; much dissatisfaction, and led to divers 'revolutionary proposals. One of these ig the establishment of a State medical service, and the chief sponsor for this is not a professed Radical or even a politician, but Sir John Collie, an eminent member of the medical profession itself. In an address recently delivered by him, he criticised the panel system of the National Insurance Act, and pointed out that it had failed in respect to its main object—the provision of adequate treatment. Trivial ailments were provided for, but serious diseases had still to be treated in the charitable institutions. In his opinion, therefore, the system was not a solution of the social problem with which it professed to deal, and, as the result of experience and reflection, Sir John Collie said he believed that, in England, there was now a strong case for a State medical service, so organised as to cover not only the workers themselvesj but also their dependents, the women and children. Such a service would not affect doctors in working-class practices ad-

versely. They would have added security of tenure and be freed from the degrading necessity of competing with their professional brethren. Doctors in middle-class practices might suffer to some extent; but they would simply have to choose between becoming State medical officers and remaining private practitioners. On the other hand, it was the duty of the State to provide full and adequate treatment for all those who could not provide it for themselves. His proposals were: (1) The service to cover all working and 1 indigent classes. (2) A complete service consisting of consultants, surgeons, specialists, and general practitioners to he established in large centres. In smaller centres it was probable that part-time specialists ! would answer the purpose. Appointments to senior positions to be by examination in all cases, as in the Army and Navy medical services. (3) Administration to be both central and local; the central authority to work under the Local Government Board and in conjunction with the Public Health Service. Such a system would cost less than the panel system, which was very extravagant. It would be much more effective. Sir John Collie added that, under the present law, there would, in two years, be an opportunity to bring such a scheme as the one he suggested into operation by that date. Anyway, in his opinion, a Stat© medical service was inevitable, and he believed that it would be as great, a boon to the profession as to the public. However this may be, such a proposal by such a man shows how things are moving nowadays in England.