GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 4 December 1940, Page 6

GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICE

GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS ,| “UNWORKABLE UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS” PRIVATE TREATIES ? , I [United Press Association] \ WELLINGTON. This Day. “The Government’s proposed fenera! medical practitioner servieo 1 would make the work of the medi- , cal profession nifh impossible under present conditions,” said Dr. S. D. Rhind, honorary general seci 1 retary of the 8.M.A., to-day. At tho j beginning of September, he said, i the B.M.A. was asked by the Minister of Health if it could give some 5 constructive proposals for working I the general medical service. This " problem had been discussed for tho past four years without any satis, factory basis having been reached. 1 1 The Minister was notified after a conference that the B.M.A. was unable to submit a scheme for the general service which would satisfy the requirements of the Government and be practicable for the medical profession to undertake in the existing abnormal circumstances. The profession was extremely overworked at present and any revolutionary change in general medical practice would make its work almost impossible. "Since September we had heard nothing from the Minister until the broad- ? j cast last evening,” said Dr. Rhind; “and 2 we know nothing of the Government’s 1 1 intentions for the future. It would ap_ pear that the Government is seeking to make private treaties with individual doctors and it will remain to be seen -! whether a sufficient number of medical i men will accept its offer to make its s scheme work.”