TRAINING MEDICAL MEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 14

TRAINING MEDICAL MEN.

USE OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS. / NATIONALISATION DISCUSSED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN 'ORtIEHI'ONDE.N'T. ] HAMILTON. Friday, Asked by Dr. R. C. MacDiarmid, HuntJy, whether it was the intention of tho Government to nationalise the medical services of Xew Zealand, the, Hon. A. J. Stallvvorthy, Minister of Health, stated at a meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board in Hamilton yesterday that the present Government had not considered tho question. He added, however, that there was a growing conviction in the minds of the medical profession and the public, in view of the changed public outlook with regard to the hospitals and the greater number of people who entered them for care and treatment, that the public hospitals should be used lo a greater extent as training institutions and for post graduate work and clinical experience by medical men. In the Waikato Hospital the close system, with a paid medical staff, was observed, and this worked with every satisfaction. There was a growing need, however, as expressed by the British Medical Association, for maintaining the efficiency of medical men in Is'ew Zealand. To supply this need it was necessary for the hospitals to be used so that medical men could gain clinical experience.

Mr. W. E. C. George, Huntly, pointed out that at the local bodies' conference held recently a resolution in favour of the nationalisation of the hospitals had been passed. Mr. W. Lee Martin, M.P., said he would have no hesitation in advocating the nationalisation of tho health services. Ho believed the trend of public opinion was in that direction. An advance would probably be made iri giving facilities for the better training of young doctors. He suggested that suitable candidates should be trained for the medical profession at the public expense, provided tlicy gave their services for a period of years after qualifying.