MATERNITY BENEFITS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 May 1939, Page 4

MATERNITY BENEFITS

TO COMMENCE NEXT MONDAY MAKING OF CONTRACTS ARRANGEMENTS WITH DOCTORS AND NURSES (United Press Association) WELLINGTON. Thi« Day. Maternity benefits under the Social Security Act are to commence on Monday next. The Minister of Health, Mr Fraser, announced last evening that the arrangements for the completion of contracts with licensees of private hospitals, medical practitioners, and obstetric nurses had progressed sufficiently for him to determine the date on and after which the maternity benefits would be available. This commencing date was Monday, 15th May. Benefits that will be available under I the maternity section of the Social j Security Act and the payments that i will be made to doctors, obseterie ! nurses, public maternity hospitals and , licensed maternity hospitals participat--1 ing in the scheme was announced by Mr Fraser toward the end of last month. He said it was estimated that the provision of maternity benefits i would cost the Social Security Fund | upward of £500,000 a year. He was I satisfied that the people of New Zea- ! land would agree that the money was I well spent and would give whole- ! hearted support to the scheme. Mr Fraser said it was hoped to j make available on 10th May lista of , those who had entered into contracts. "These lists.” he said, “will be published •by advertisement and otherwise, so , th at women in need of ante-natal advico and attention, as well as those ap> 1 proaching cofinement, can be informed i which medical practitioners in their I locality are available to give the frea , medical services, including advice, cart. ! and attention provided for under tha i Social Security Act. "When lists have been made available and the appointed date of cora- | mencement has been announced patij ents desirous of taking advantage of tha j various benefits must, of course, select I from the relative list, in addition to tha j doctor, the private hospital or obstetrie nurse from whom they desire to receive j the services. Services in relation to maternity in any licensed private hospital or at the hands of any medical practitioner, midwife, or maternity 4 nurse, can be made the subject of bene- | fits only of course where the licensee, practitioner, or nurse concerned has completed a contract.” ELECTRICAL WORKERS CONDEMN B.M.A. ATTITUDE HASTINGS, Bth May. Urging the Government “to take 0 firm sta.id and treat the British Medical Association in the same manner at strikers in any other industry,” tha Hawkes Bay branch of the Electrical Workers’ Association at a meeting pledged itself to support the Government in any action it might think fit “even to importing doctor* from overseas.” The meeting strongly supported tha social security legislation and the following resolution was adopted: "That this meeting of electrical workers of Hawkes Bay strongly condemns the attitude of the British Medical Association in attempting to sabotage the finest piece of social legislation ever placed in the Statute Book if any country, and urges the Government to taka a firm stand and trept the British Medical Association m the same manner as strikers in any other industry. The electrical workers are behind the Government in any action It may think fit. even to importing doctors from overseas.”