Onus on the Government

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 112, 15 May 1939, Page 6

Onus on the Government

BJM.A. Was Always Ready to Co-operate ON REASONABLE BASIS Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. ‘ * The impasse that has been arrived at with regard to the provision of maternity services under the Social Security Act is the creation of the Government and is its responsibility,” said Dr. J. B. S. Jamieson, chairman of the National Health Insurance Committee of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, commenting further on the statement issued by the Minister of Health, Hon. P. Fraser, on Saturday. “It is common sense that when a Government in a democratic country desires to introduce any radical change which it cannot operate itself it must first be assured of the consent of the other persons concerned and of their willingness to co-operate,” he continued. “The administrative function for the public good should be to smooth out difficulties rather than intensify them. The wisdom of this course applies with even greater force when the matter at issue is one of general public health. ” Misled by Advisers Dr. Jamieson reiterated that the Government rejected the expert advice of the medical profession and said it was attempting to go ahead with its own scheme, which the B.M.A. warned it would prove unacceptable and inapplicable. “How is one to account for this!” he asked. “The truth is that the Government has been completely misled by its own advisers, especially as to what would be the attitude of the medical profession when the matter came to a definite issue. The response to the offer of contract for maternity service proves this beyond dispute. The sooner the Government recognises that its scheme cannot be put into effective operation and accepts the practical advice of the association the sooner will it be able to make progress with a sound scheme in which it will receive the fullest co-operation of the whole of the medical profession. “Actually, through the Government being badly advised, three valuable years have been wasted, for which the medical profession throughout New Zealand cannot with any sense of Justice be held to blame. ‘ ‘ The Minister is in error when he says the absence of service is entirely due to those who can give service refusing to do so. The published lists reveal the inefficiency of the service about to be put into operation. This is due to the Government's adherence to its own preconceived ideas. Co-operation Waiting ‘ ‘ The willing co-operation of the whole profession concerned with maternity work can be secured immediately if the Minister will give effect to the method proposed by the association, whereby the maternity benefit would be operated as a cash benefit payable to the patient. Such a method would not only put the whole profession at the service of mothers, but would enable the mothers, wherever situated, to make their arrangements without interveution by auy third party. This would also relieve the Department of high costs of the administration of the benefit. “Obviously co-operation between the Government and the profession, on which the success of any scheme depends and which all desire, must be two-sided. The profession offered its co-operation but the Government rejected it and wants its own way. Hence the onus for the present position is on the Government. The profession morally and legally by the Government *8 own Act is entitled to decline the offers of service, and I submit that because its members exercised this right they cannot be held to be obstructionist even by. the Government. “It is unwise in the introduction of a scheme such as this to take a course which tends to set the people against the doctors, the doetors against themselves and all against the Minister’s own Department. I therefore urge the Minister not to reject the advice and sincere offer of co-operation which the profession tenders.” NOT ON THE LIST DR. McMILLAN EXPLAINS* DUNEDIN, May 13. An explanation of why his name does not appear in the list of doctors prepared to administer maternity benefits from Monday was given by Dr. D. G. McMillan, M.P. for Dunedin West, in % statement. “As I have been working with the Minister of Health on the details of the health service practically continuously since the middle of January, and will be so for some months yet,” Dr. McMillan said, “I am not at present in active practice

“If I were I would certainly sign the contract. The scheme will not only make a full service available to everybody, but will also, in my opinion, make conditions for doctors better than hitherto.”