MATERNITY BENEFITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 9

MATERNITY BENEFITS

ATTITUDE OF DOCTORS EIGHT MORE CONTRACTS REPORTED THIRTY FOR THE DOMINION (Special to Daily Times) CHRISTCHURCH, July 11. Two doctors—one at Lyttelton and one at Denniston—are among the eight medical practitioners who, since the first list was published, have contracted with the Social Security Department to give service under the maternity benefits. They are Dr Bertram Hazelwood Gilmour. of Lyttelton, and Dr James Sutherland. of Denniston. There are now three doctors in the Canterbury Health District under contract with the department. The others are Dr Maud Fere, of New Brighton, and Dr D. G. Wallace. 'of Methven, who practises in the Mount Hutt district. Since the Minister of Health (Mr P. Fraser) announced the list of medical practitioners who had entered into contract, nine names have been added. One doctor in Wellington withdrew: but the total of 30 was maintained by a doctor at Te Puke, in the Tauranga county, sign ing the necessary paper. None of the nine names has been formally announced (as was done when a number of doctors entered contracts originally) by the Minister Besides Dr Gilmour and Dr Sutherland, Dr E. S. Dukes of Mangonui and Di C. E. de Latour, of Dunedin art also known to have agreed to give State maternity service. The names of the four other practitioners have not yet been made public. After the meeting of the National Health Insurance Committee of the New Zealand brand of the Brvisn Medical Association in Wellington last week, when replies from branches to the suggested departures in attitude were considered, a conference was held with Government representatives, but no finality was reached,

Among other things, the branch of the British Medical Association recommended to its members that fees should be paid straight to the practitioner out 6f the Social Security Fund, and that amendments should be made in the Act bringing all doctors within its scope for maternity services. There is reported to have been a division among the doctors on the question of accepting ihe recommendations or of any departure from their original attitude.

NO MEANS TEST AVAILABILITY OF MATERNITY SERVICES STATEMENT BY MR FRASER <From Oub Own Correspondent) WELLINGTON, July 11. The fact that there was no means test with regard to the availability of maternity services was stressed to-day by the Minister of Health (Mr Frafeer). “ With reference to the reported decision of the Ashburton Hospital Board to appoint l a committee to investigate the question of imposing a means test dn connection with the admission of patients to its maternity hospital.” Mr Fraser said. “ it is necessary to point out that under the arrangements regarding maternity benefits, treatment in any hospital maintained by a hospital board is free of charge in respect of the confinement period. “ The department reports that the Ashburton Board has drawn attention to the fact that® patients who previously had been confined in private nursing homes were applying for admission to the board’s hospital. This, the department attributes to the fact that private hospitals in the district had not at that time entered into a contract to provide maternity benefits. Recently contracts have been completed with these private hospitals and it is probable, therefore, that the demands on the board’s accommodation will not be so heavy. “ I have reauested the department, however.” the Minister added, “to take up the matter with the board forthwith with a view to adjusting any temporary difficulty. There is no means test with regard to the availability of maternity services.”