DOCTORS' TERMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23425, 15 August 1939, Page 11

DOCTORS' TERMS

MATERNITY SERVICES FEES WITHOUT CONTRACTS FREE CHOICE BY PATIENTS RIGHTS OUTSIDE THE SCHEME [BV TET.ECin APTI —PRF.SS ASSOCIATION J NELSON, Monday Interviewed regarding the nature of the proposals which the medical profession has formulated, the president of the New Zealand-branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. J. P. S. .Jamieson, stated that the proposals now put forward were a modification of the previous offer which the Government rejected to operate the maternity benefit as a cash benefit to tho patient. The present offer, like the former, he said, was devised specifically to eliminate individual contracts and regulations which had proved an obstacle to the Government's present scheme. "In brief," Dr. Jamieson explained, "the fresh proposals stipulate payments to doctors for maternity service from the Social Security Fund on proof of service. The payments are for the usual and special services, and additional professional assistance when required. The scales of these payments are to be agreed upon and periodically revised." They would, lie said, bo in full satisfaction except that ill the case of recognised specialists additional private fees were to be recoverable, and patients to have tho right at will to make private arrangements outside the scheme and any doctor to have the right to enter into such arrangements. % "The general effect of this arrangement," Dr. Jamieson added, "would be that maternity work would proceed as hitherto, but patients who wished to avail themselves could have the medical costs of it defrayed by the Social Security Fund." No panel lists, no contracts and no committees were required, and tho administrative machinery would be a minimum. In conclusion, Dr. Jamieson said the profession was prepared to undertake work on this basis, provided that the existing legislation was amended to give effect to these proposals in lieu of the Government's scheme, and that the amending legislation,' including tho regulations, was first submitted to the association and agreed upon.