MEDICAL BENEFITS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 December 1940, Page 4

MEDICAL BENEFITS

SCHEME TO OPERATE EARLY IN N7£W YEAR MINISTER'S STATEMENT [United Press Association] AUCKLAND, 10th December. ! “I think that in the end common j sense will prevail and that the docI tors will be parties to the Government | scheme,” said the Minister of Health, i Mr Arm/strong, this afternoon when | discussing the attitude of the mediI cal profession to the medical benefits ; provided under the amendment to • the Social Security Act which was passed by Parliament last week. Mr Armstrong said he felt sure the doctors would show the same cooperation as every other section of the community. Regulations had already been prepared and were now in the hands of the law draftsmen for overhaul. ‘“They will be ready for operation at any time and the scheme will scam be put into practice,” he said. Though not in a position to ment’/on the date, the Minister said it ’would be early in the New Year, and it was proposed, also at an early date, to make out-patients’ services | at hospitals free. There was a good / deal of preliminary work to be done, • including the appointment of additional staff and the provision of office accommodation. The Minister said he would like to see an agreement between the Government and the medical profession, but if one was not arrived at it would make no difference as far as proceeding with the scheme was concerned. “I can say definitely that the public will get the service as soon as possible in the New Year,” he added.