REHABILITATION OF DOCTORS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 30 June 1943, Page 4

REHABILITATION OF DOCTORS

MANY DESIRE SALARIED SERVICE MINISTER S STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. Information was coming to hand indicating that a great many of the doc tors who were at present serving over seas did not want to come back to the old form of competitive practice, stated the Minister of Health, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, in the Budget Debate in the House of Representatives last night Indications were, said the Minister, that they wanted to participate ;n a salaried service where they had reasonable hours, annual holidays, and under which they would have opportunities for post graduate study at certain intervals. He hoped it would be possible for the Government, before the end of the war, to announce the institution of such a scheme, and that many of the doctors returning to the Dominion would flpd their way into a salaried State service. Mr F. W. Dcidge (Nat., Tauranga): Socialisation of medical practitioners? The Minister: We heard that cry two years ago in regard to socialisation of the medical profession. The Minister said that he wished to make it perfectly clear that the position would be that an opportunity would be given to those who wished to enter a State salaried service. There would be no compulsion on a doctor who pre ferred to stay out and practise in the old way. Referring to alien doctors. Mr Nordmeyer said only 31 of these were no.v in practice. Some of these doctors were in practice in cities and were in receipt of fairly large incomes, but » number of them had willingly gone to more isolated parts of New Zealand, where they were on a much smaller salary than they would receive in the cities. Mr H. S. S. Kyle <lnd. Nat., Riccarton) said that legislation was compelling employers to find the same employment for their soldier employees on return. He considered doctors who had gone overseas should get equal treatment. Mr D. W. Coleman (Govt.. Gisborne): They have been promised it. Mr Kyle: They should be recompensed in regard to getting back into practice. The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser). A year’s income is guaranted, based on what they earned prior to going to the war.