National Health and Superannuation Committees Report

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1938, Page 6

National Health and Superannuation Committees Report

[Special to “Northern Advocate.”] WELLINGTON, This Day. npilE REPORT OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND SUPERANNUATION COMMITTEE WAS LAID ON TH E TABLE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY THE CHAIRMAN, REV. A. H. NORDMEYER, M.P., THIS MORNING. The findings are largely in accordance with outlines published at various times since the committee concluded its hearing. It reviews all the proposals put forward with regard to superannuation and health services.

General Practitioner Service. Referring to a general practitioner service, free to all members of the community requiring attention, the committee states that this proposal met with opposition from the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association' on a number of grounds, particularly that those who could afford to pay for treatment should do so. The committee, however, has no hesitation whatever in advising the Government to depart from the basis of dividing artificially the community into sections based upon wage and other income. It believes that the medical scheme should develop along fhe lines of the Dominion’s education system —to be freely available to all, whatever their rank, station or industry. If there were people in the community preferring to make other arrangements for themselves there were in the educational world—they were entirely free to do so. Hospital And Sanatorium Treatment. “The benefit of free hospital and sanatoi'ium treatment for all, the report continues, “is intended to comprise full relief from personal liability in respect of hospital care received in or at public hospitals and sanatoria in addition to partial relief from personal liabilty for care received in private hospitals. “A uniform rate of-payment from the Social Security Fund of 6/- per day per occupied bed is proposed, and, in respect of treatment in public hospitals, hospital boax'ds would be required to acept this in full satisfaction of the cost of care given. “This proposal met with vex’y general approval. The amount suggested will mean an aggregate saving to the contributory local authorities of hospital boards of £200.000 and a similar amount to the Consolidated Fund annually. The estimated average amount of in-patient fees collected from individuals at the present time for an occupied bed in a public hospital or a sanatorium is £4B 2s annually, or 2/8 per day. The proposal of the Government will mean a payment of £lO9 10s annually. While it is appreciated that some hospitals have been more fortunate than others in the collection of fees and have succeeded, in some cases, in obtaining an amount of almost as great as that offered by the Government, the vast majority of hospitals will receive a substantial benefit from this proposal. The boards will also receive about £40,000 additional in respect of maternity services. Mental Hospitals. The committee recommends that in future no charge for care and treatment ordinarily given in public mental hospitals should be made against the person’s relatives or his estate. Last year estates of inmates of hospitals and the I’elatives of inmates had to pay £ 155.700, Medicine. The committee feels that there is no great difficulty in inaugurating the practice of providing free medicines on the prescription of a doctor, and such other appliances or materials as may be defined by regulations. Evidence was given that the Pharmaceutical Association would co-oper-ate with !ho Government along this line. Maternity Services. The proposal of the Government to provide free maternity service, either in a private heme or a maternity hospital appeared to meet the desire of the majority of those interested in the question. Supplementary Services. The committee makes recommendations regarding the payment to doctors and specialists in regard to nnaesthe-

tics. laboratory and radiology facilities. services which the Government “proposes to add from time to time when organisation of finances are available." The Government is ui’ged to develop a specialist and consultant service as soon as possible after the inauguration of a general practitioner service. In the meantime the needs of a large section of the community would be mot by making this service available at the public hospital, either by inpatient or out-patient. The inclusion of dental, optical, ambulance and other services in the health scheme as it develops is also reported on. Home Nursing

The institution of a home nursing and domestic help service is reported upon as being highly desirable. The training of the necessary staff could well be undertaken in those hospitals not now recognised as tx’aining centres for nurses. Hospital aides, after passing their examinations, should be ■utilised in working under the direc- j tions of a general practitioner or the j district nurse in the treatment and j care of those patients whose illness was not of a serious nature, or could both economically and medically be treated at home rather than at an institution. When inaugurating a I domestic help service along these lines., j the Government is strongly urged by j the committee to utilise, wherever I possible, the services of existing; women's organisations experienced in V work of this kind. ! Preventive Medicine j ■ Evidence submitted to the committee indicated appalling ignorance on j j the part of many people concerning j j directly their health and well being, j j The committee fell that a great deal I j of illness in the communitv could bo ; { prevented. It therefore recommends H that a sum be set aside for education ’ in the principles of health and healthy living. 1 1 It believed that a great deal of j j medical attention and hospital care f ( would be unnecessary if the people j ( were taught to pay duo care to the j ( promotion of healthy conditions of ' body and mind , ’