“Duties of Patients”; Maternity Benefits

Northern Advocate, 31 May 1939, Page 9

“Duties of Patients”; Maternity Benefits

'[Special to “Northern Advocate ” 3 AUCKLAND, This Day.

Instructions prepared by the Health Department to inform people how to avail themselves of maternity benefits under the social. security !act include, under the heading of “Duties of Patients,” specific times when, except in the case of emergency, a doctor may be summoned to the patient’s home. The patient is informed that she 3s not to make any unreasonable demands upon a doctor’s professional services. In. particular, with the exception of a case of emergency, she is instructed that she is not to summon the doctor to visit her between 6 p.m. on any day and 8 a.m. the following day. Nor is she, again with the same provision for an emergency, to ask him to visit her on any Saturday afternoon, nor any Sunday, or public holiday. Where a patient requiring medical advice or treatment is prevented by her condition of health from attending the doctor, she has the further duty of notifying him as soon as possible, and not later, where the circumstances of the case permits, than 10 a.m. of the day she requires to be visited.

Except when her health prevents it, the patient is required to attend the doctor at such a time and place as the doctor has undertaken to be in attendance.

Eligibility to receive the benefits is to be proved by the production of the patient’s certificate of registration under the Social Security Act. Thereafter, the necessary forms designed to satisfy the department that the stipulated medical attention has been given and received are confined to simple details of the actual period concerned.