TO PREVENT ABUSES OF HEALTH SCHEME

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1949, Page 2

TO PREVENT ABUSES OF HEALTH SCHEME

WELLINGTON, Sat. (Sp.).—Replying to criticism of the Dominion’s health services, the Minister of Health (Miss Howard) said in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon that legislation to prevent abuses of the social security scheme by certain members of the medical profession would be introduced to Parliament this session.

The bill would put into operation the recommendations made by the Medical Services Committee In its report tabled in the House last year.

Miss Howard was replying to Mr S. W. Smith (O—Hobson), who had criticised restrictions on the salaries of hospital medical superintendents. She said that apparently the member wanted the superintendents to earn the same exorbitant money as outside doctors who were abusing the scheme.

hospital board institutions had risen from 647 to 1585.

New Zealand was short of nursing staff. Miss Howard added, but this was world wide. The Government had improved nurses’ working conditions in ways which countries like America were just starting to think about.

Incomes of more than £IO,OOO a year were being obtained by eight doctors, and the profession, which itself was ashamed of them, was preparing to help in disciplining them. The average doctor was just as decent as any other chap. Miss Howard said. SALARY QUESTION ■’Once and for all I am going to scotch the silly and stupid statement which has been marie more than once in this House, that a cook receives more money than (he nurses,” said the Minister. Taking the salaries at the Wellington Hospital as an example, she showed that all members of the nursing staff, from the matron-in-chief down to and including ward sisters, earned more than the first cook.

“To say the hospital system is breaking down because of the incompetence of the Minister and the Government is just so much bunkum and political propaganda, because it is election year,” said the Minister. “The members for Hobson and Eden made one or two stupid and irresponsible statements.”

Of course, the first cook got more than a pupil nurse, just as a tradesman got more lhan an apprentice, she added.

Tiie closing of private, and maternity hospitals was due to many reasons, but competition with new and up-to-date-hospitals was the biggest factor. Miss Howard continued.

Some had been carrying on with inadequate equipment, and, naturally, sick people went to the bigger hospitals. MANY PROSPERING Many private and matorfnity hospitals were prospering and were receiving substantial Government subsidies. Hospital boards had taken over institutions which could not be induced to remain open. Miss Howard said the total number of beds in private hospitals in HUo was 2641, compared with 2643 in 1939. The number of private maternity beds declined in the same period from 941 to 761, but the number in