MEDICAL BENEFITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23863, 14 January 1941, Page 83

MEDICAL BENEFITS

Sir, —Mr. -Alkie's letter 011 the above subject is inconsistent and illoyieal. On tin.' one hand he bitterly blames the Government for its failure, so tar. to provide the free ne'dieal benefits promised to tip' people in lit.'iS. and on the other hand lie warmly praises the British Medical Association tor all alum; opposing the provision of these free medical benefits. The lone; dt lay in starting tlie scheme has been due first and foremost to the nun possum us attitude of tlie British Medical .Association. who have all alone; declined to co-operate with the Government in introducing the scheme, and. secondly, to the great patience of the Government in meet ine tlii> various objections to the scheme raised bv the British Medical A ssooiation, and modifying the san 10. *

Tlio UrifNh Medical Association's great <>ll ji>t-lion lu lie original s<• 1u■ id<> was I hut tin- ciini raci between State and (liiriur would destroy the intimate personal prhacv lirluiTii doctor and patient. So tin* Gov"tnment altered the scheme liy providing a contract between patient and doctor, and thereby pre-,en ing the intimate personal privacy. Now the British .Medical Association rai-es an entirely new insuperable objection to I h-» scheme, which (hev say cannot lie started now, because there is a war on. The Government would indeed be failing in its duty to _ the people if it now abandoned this scheme ot free medical benefits, lor which the people are being taxed. The scheme must be provided. V\ hat else would .Mr Algie advise the Government to do 'inder the cireumstances!" Thomas A. F. Stone.