PATIENTS' RIGHTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24134, 28 November 1941, Page 6

PATIENTS' RIGHTS

ISSUE IN APPEAL CASE DOCTOR IN MEDICAL SCHEME [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] INYEKCARGILL, Thursday The question of patients having legal rights of transfer Jrom the lists of any of the doctors who operated the original social security medical benefits scheme was raised at a sitting of the Armed Forces Appeal Board to-day during the hearing of an appeal for exemption from service on behalf of Dr. Athol Ewaa McMillan, of Xnvercargill. The appeal, which was adjourned from the previous sitting of the board, was adjourned until to-morrow morning pending a ruling from the Minister of Health. The appeal was made by Hotel Workers' Union, and the Invercargill branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Mr. David Harris, union secretary, the central branch of the New Zealand Labour Party and Mr. Peter Hennessey. The chairman, Mr. J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., quoted a newspaper report of a statement By the department and said that apparently those patients under the original capitation scheme of 15s a year for each patient were not eligible for the new scheme. The original scheme seemed to bo the limit of their rights, which meant that those patients could have recourse only to that one doctor, except in an emergency. Mr. A. N. Haggit (for the Crown): They' can resign. "We should have something authoritative before us," said Mr. Bartholomew. Counsel for. the appellants, Mr. Gordon J. Reed, said he would send a telegram to the Minister. • v