“Almost Worthless” Certificates Issued by Doctors

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 60, 12 March 1943, Page 5

“Almost Worthless” Certificates Issued by Doctors

WELLINGTON, Mar. 11. The issuing of “almost worthless” certificates by some members of the medical profession was one of the subjects discussed at a meeting of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation last week according to a statement issued to-day by the president (Mr. C. V. Bmith). He stated that in a memorandum to the War Cabinet in July the Federation pointed out the abuses which were taking place and asked that steps should be taken through the British Medical Association or otherwise to stop the practice. Facts before the Council indicated that the practice had not entirely ceased and certificates were being issued that were not only worthless but were a serious reflection on some members of a profession that had always maintained a high standard of ethics. It appeared, he said, that in each of the four main centres and in some other towns there was a small group of doctors prepared to sign their names to anything while there were others who were issuing certificates regarding which they could not stand crossexamination. It was decided, therefore, to urge the Armed Services Appeal Boards and Industrial Manpower Boards to subpoena these doctors if the necessity arose so that they could be crossexamined. The Federation understood that in one centre when it was known that this procedure was going to be adopted there was a material fallingoff in the number of worthless certificates.