MEDICAL BENEFITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23860, 10 January 1941, Page 10

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Sir, —Mr. P. M. Algie ii his letter savs that the leaders and the rank and file of . ! >-e medical profession deserve the congratulations of the community for their attitude to the propos d medical benefits to the public. Bather an amazing .statement, and Mi. Algie is evidently not aware of certain facts. In Auckland Public Hospital, as well as in the other public hospitals throughout the Dominion, the medical men are already being paid remuneration for part-time services. These medical men are being paid at the rate of £ooo and £3OO per year and their hours range around about nine hours per week. Surely Mr. Algie would not call that an imposition on their time. In Auckland 20 medical men receive £lO per week for the nine hours per week, and another 20 receive £6 per week' for the same service. It might be argued that these men, excellent doctors and surgeons all, were on call at the hospital, but the Hospital Board also employs 20 resident doctors, receiving from £.'200 to £'3oo per year and their hoard and residence. The senior medical man can and does very often instruct these junior doctors if a call is made. The medical men on the visiting staff arc conscientious and doing a big job, but 1 contend that they are now being paid well for their services out of social security money under the Labour Government legislation. The majority of the medical men engaged in public hospital work, through the experience so gained, are now -practising as specialists, and are therefore not in the position to take part in the general scheme, and as so many of them are already benefiting to the extent of L'.")iK.i and £3OO per annum, surely they wil! be magnanimous and do all they can to help the Government to further the scheme. This will dispose of Mr. Algie's complaint regarding "a complete system of free medical benefits." Strangely enough the writer omitted to mention the importance of the need for the free out-patient department m all public hospitals. Comments from the medical profession show plainly and clearly to the general public where the "hold-up" in the scheme has been. As a citizen I am relieved to hear that the scheme will no longer be held up. As a member of the Auckland Hospital Board. I will be gratified to see in the very near future the reduction in hospital beds making room tor the necessary better facilities for preventive and surgical treatment. At present, many patients come into hospital as urgent eases because of inability to pay for medical and nursing services in the home. This is what is

causing the overcrowding of all public hospitals at the present time. Mr. .Algic .says the Government is giving "short measure." It is a pity he used such a term, as the facts recorded above do not reflect much credit on a section of the community, who are in a minority as far as numbers go, but have been powerful enough up to date to block the carrying out of the "higher ideals." The Government has been very patient, sad to relate, at the expense of the majority of the people, but its patience has been exhausted, and the people are going to get what they are paying for through social security—free medical benefits. In one part of his letter .Mr. Algic praises the electors for not helping to carry out the legislation, and 111 another part ho. condemns the Government for not carrying out the lull scheme, Being a mere woman, I ask, "Is that logical?'' Mary M. Drf.aver.